Love, Lies, and Magic Wands: Hannah Potter
by KairiGokuJr
Summary: Hannah finds herself in the middle of a war not only between Voldemort but with her feelings, her family, and as always Draco. Death eater or not, she loves Draco and will do anything to save him from himself. Sequel to Fifth Year Kix Grass
1. Best Friends

_[A/N: Hannah is back! Rejoice, rejoice! If you're new you'll probably want to check out "Fifth Year Kix Grass", as this is a sequel, but if you think you're hardcore enough to get a handle on the story without the story before it, more power to you. If you're not new, welcome back, and either way, enjoy!]_

"That's nine letters," I said to Kassia who sat across from me at the kitchen table. "He has written me nine times in two weeks."

"I already told you, it may seem like he doesn't have a soul, but after you broke up with, there were tears. Draco Malfoy tears, which I'm sure you know is unheard of," Kassia said.

"Should I read them?" I asked.

Kassia shrugged. "Are you going to be able to maintain your composure or are you going to start crying about how much you miss him and how much a mistake breaking up with him was?"

"I didn't make a mistake," I said firmly.

"You say that now. Two hours from now you're going to be crying about him again," Kassia said.

"No, no more crying," I said.

"You said that yesterday," Kassia said. I frowned at her. "Don't look at me like that. You know how you are."

"I'm going to read them," I said.

Just as I was about to open the first letter, the kitchen door burst open. Tonks and Lupin walked in.

"Hello," Tonks said to me briefly before turning back around to Lupin. "You're being ridiculous."

"I am not," he replied. "And I'm not going to discuss this with you here. In fact, I don't think I'm going to discuss this with you at all."

Tonks scoffed. "Now, I don't think you're being ridiculous. I think you're avoiding the issue."

"And why shouldn't I?" he asked.

"I think you'll regret it later," she said going over to the sink. She grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with water.

"I think _you_ would actually regret it in the long run," he said.

Tonks laughed. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Lupin shook his head. "As I said before, this is neither the time nor the place to have this discussion."

"Oh, don't mind us," I said. "I could use a distraction anyhow."

"Yeah, she's probably this close to writing Draco a letter about how much she regrets what she did," Kassia said.

"I don't regret it," I said.

"Not at the moment you don't," Kassia said.

"No, Remus is right. We can talk later," Tonks said. "What's going on with you?"

"She was just about to read her letters from Draco when you walked in," Kassia said.

"Oh, bad idea," Tonks said. "You'll just end up crying by the end of it. Trust me. You don't want to hear what he has to say because you'll either end up missing him, being angry with him, or feeling bad. Totally not worth it."

"So you're just going to ignore him?" Lupin asked.

"Only to spare herself her own feelings," Tonks said.

"And what about his?" Lupin said.

"He had his chance to not be a jackass didn't he? If she opens those letters it's only going to make it harder for her to move on," Tonks said.

Lupin sighed. "Guys always get the short end of the stick when relationships end."

"Hannah, trust me, don't read them," Tonks said.

I took a deep breath and pushed the letters away. "Fine. I won't."

"Good, I approve," Tonks said. "How's your summer been so far?"

Kassia and I both groaned.

"Fine when Veronica isn't here," Kassia said.

"What? I like Veronica quite a lot. What's it about her you don't like?" Tonks asked.

"It's not so much a problem with Veronica. It's more a problem with Veronica staying over the night with Sirius," I said.

"They are nasty and loud," Kassia said.

Tonks and Lupin laughed.

"Really?" Lupin asked.

"Really," I said.

"How unfortunate for you," he said. I rolled my eyes.

Lupin would've been here to hopefully save Kassia and me from Sirius and Veronica, but the week before school ended, Bill and Fleur got themselves engaged and moved in together. This left Tonks with a spare room in her flat and she kindly took Lupin in as her flat mate.

"Where is he anyway?" Tonks asked.

"Upstairs sleeping for once," I said.

"Yeah. We've decided to confront him about it today," Kassia said.

"Yes. He can shag his girlfriend all he likes as long as he puts the Imperturbable Charm on his room," I said.

"You know, I think there are some things you probably shouldn't say to Sirius and that falls under the category of one of them. I will talk to him," Lupin said.

"And I'll go too, you know. It's not like he's my godfather," Kassia said.

"Alright, then," Lupin said. He and Kassia walked upstairs.

"So, what were you and Lupin going on about?" I asked.

Tonks chuckled. "Nosy much?"

"I prefer being called curious to nosy," I said.

Tonks smiled at me. "It's nothing important. Friends quarrel sometimes, I'm sure you know."

"Are you sure it's nothing? Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said in surprise. "Why do you ask?"

"You look peaky," I said.

"Do I?" she asked. I nodded. "Strange. . . I'm going to go. . . See you around."

Tonks sat her half-full glass of water down on the sink and walked right out the front door.

Not too long after, Sirius, Kassia, and Lupin came back into the kitchen.

"Where did she go?" Lupin asked.

"I dunno. All I did was inquire about what you two were bickering about before, then I told her she looked peaky. After I said that she got this very distant look on her face and left," I said. "But whatever, I know she's weird."

"Yeah, weird, that's the perfect word," Sirius said looking over to Lupin.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Lupin asked.

"No reason," Sirius said. He looked over to me. "Hannah, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry will be coming. I'm sure you've been going crazy only having Devil Child here to keep you company."

"No, Sirius, I believe that you were the one probably driving her crazy this time," Kassia said rolling her eyes.

"Hey, guess who I _wasn't_ talking to?" Sirius said. I shook my head. "Anyway, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron should be here in a few minutes. Harry won't be arriving until tonight. In the meantime, I've got some business to attend so I'll be back later tonight."

"It's weird seeing you come and go as you like," I said.

"I know what you mean," Sirius said. "I'll see you later, Goober, Moony, Demon Child."

Sirius walked out of the front door. A second later, Ron, Hermione and Ginny came dashing in.

"Ah, still in the chair I see," Ron said.

"You know she said four weeks," Hermione said. "One more, right?"

"Six days and I'm back on my feet, mostly," I said.

"You should get a really cool cane, you know, with a sword inside," Ron said.

"Awe that would be awesome!" I said.

"Absolutely not," Lupin said.

"Darn," I said.

"Better go unpack," Ginny said.

I groaned. "Stairs are my enemy."

"I can get you up those stairs," Ron said stretching.

"Oh, jeez," Ginny said, face-palming herself. "He's been 'working out' for the two weeks we've been home and now he's convinced he's some kind of muscle man."

"I never said that, but I can at least carry Hannah up three flights of stairs. She barely weighs 110 pounds soaking wet," Ron said. "Let's do this, Potter."

"Good luck, Weasley. Drop me and you could paralyze me forever, but no pressure," I said.

Ron rolled his eyes and scooped me up into his arms. "Let us venture forth to the upstairs."

"You're a lucky woman, Hermione," Kassia said.

"I know," she said.

Ron walked me upstairs to my room and sat me down my bed, then he collapsed onto the floor trying to catch his breath.

"You did great, Ron, though I felt you struggling those last few steps," I said.

"Last time I do anything nice for you," Ron said.

"Hey, you still have to get me down the stairs," I said. Ron groaned as the girls walked into the room. "So, why are you being so nice anyway?"

"What?" Ron asked.

"You come in and immediately ask me about my physical health. Since when has my health ever been important to you?" I asked. "Remember when I got chicken pox and you were keen to lock me outside of your house until they were gone?"

"I was eight," Ron said.

"And clearly you haven't grown up much," Hermione said.

"Well, it's obvious, why he's being so nice, Hannah. He knows something bad about Draco," Kassia said.

"Do not," Ron said with a scoff.

"Don't lie to me, Ron," I said.

"You know something about Draco and didn't tell me?" Hermione asked.

"NO!" Ron said.

"Don't lie to me. I'll kick your ass," Hermione threatened.

Ron's face sank and he let out a sigh. "Fine."

"Hey, since when don't my threats work on you?" I asked.

"Since you became a parallelogram," Ron said.

". . . Paraplegic," we corrected him at once.

"Anyway, tell us, now," Ginny said. "This happened that day Fred took you out to get fitted for your tuxedo two days ago didn't it? I thought you were acting funny."

"Tell me, Ron," I said.

"No. I don't want to. You seem so cheerful and happy right now and I know if I tell you it'll only ruin your mood," he said. "I saw it and it made me angry."

"Look, I'm going to go visit Blaise in a few days and guess who's staying the summer at his house?" Kassia asked. "She's going to find out one way or another."

Ron groaned. "Please don't cry, Hannah. I hate when you cry."

"Just get it over with," Ginny said.

". . . I saw Draco walking around Diagon Alley with this Slytherin girl," Ron said.

I gasped. "What? Who?"

"Some fourth year. . . Astoria Greengrass I think her name is," Ron said.

Kassia shook her head. "You know, as soon as you were broken up she started movin' in. Those Slytherin underclassmen have always been lusting after Draco."

"I cannot believe this. We were together for a year and a half! How can he just pick up and move on in three weeks? Three weeks? He just wrote to me today. . . Kassia, I need to read those letters," I said.

"No! What does it matter if he's with some other girl now? He's moved on. So should you," Ron said.

"You don't get it. I really loved Draco. I still do. And to think that he could just move on so easily after he told me how much he cared about me is just. . . It's crazy! It makes me feel like an idiot because if he can just pick up and move on like that then did he really care about me the way he said?" I asked.

"Oh. My. God. Where is Harry? I can't take you on by yourself," Ron said.

"I need to read what he said," I said. "I have to know _why_ he's with her. I mean, she's like 12."

"15 actually. Same age difference as Emily and Fred actually," Ron said.

"Please don't reference your brother and our friend who are getting married in this situation, Ron," I said.

"My bad," he said.

"I'll go get your letters," Kassia said walking out the room.

I shook my head. "I mean, I can't even think about being with other guys right now and he's actually out and about with some little, fourth year, Slytherin hussy."

"Bitter much?" Ginny asked.

"Very bitter," I admitted.

"Well don't go down the road of dating someone you don't really like to irritate someone you do like," Ron said. "Doesn't end well."

"But, I have to admit," Kassia said, entering the room and tossing the letters onto my lap, "the next one makes it easier to move on from the old one."

"That sounds like the logic Harry used to get over Cho when he made out with Parvati," I said.

"And look at him. Hasn't thought about her in ages," Kassia said.

"Don't encourage her," Ginny said.

"But, if you ever do need a rebound I do know someone who might be a good candidate for you," Hermione said.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed in offense.

"Cormac," she went on to say.

"You're joking," Ginny said.

"No. I mean, I know he's kind of a prat and a bit thick headed, but he can be nice sometimes. I mean, obviously I wouldn't date him, but he's good company. Just avoid the whole making out scene. He gets very touchy-feely," Hermione said.

"Cormac McLaggen got touchy-feely with you?" Ron asked, finally sitting up from the floor.'

Hermione sighed. "I shall I bring up how touchy-feely _you_ were with Lavender Brown?"

Ron leered at Hermione. "You win this round." He laid back down on the floor.

"Don't do it, Hannah," Ginny said.

"We'll see how I feel after I read these letters," I said. "And get a few answers."


	2. Nine Letters

_[A/N: It may be a while before I update again. I'm going out of town for Memorial Day this weekend so be patient.]_

"Letter number one," I said as I opened the first of Draco's nine letters. It was short, barely a few sentences long.

_Hannah,_

_I know I should've said something to you when I saw you at the train station yesterday, but I didn't know what to say. Please write back to me. I miss you and I'm sorry._

_Love,_

_Draco_

I sighed. I expected as much. I moved onto the next letter.

_Hannah,_

_I need to talk to you. I understand your reasons for ending things with me but we both left a lot unsaid. You at least owe me a response after what you did to me and I figure you could probably use some closure as well._

_Love,_

_Draco_

"That sounded a bit demanding," Hermione said.

"Indeed," Ginny said. "Are you alright, Hannah?"

"So far so good," I said. I opened the third.

_Hannah,_

_I refuse to end this without a word from either of us. You're going to have to talk to me eventually, Hannah. I know this sucks for you just as much as it sucks for me. You can try to pretend I don't exist all you like, but you're only making this harder for both of us. I'll be at Blaise's when you decide to write back._

_Love,_

_Draco_

Now, I was starting to feel it. I wanted to tell him something, but I couldn't think of anything to say to him.

On to letter four.

_Hannah,_

_No one ever solved their problems by ignoring them and I'm getting the feeling that I'm being ignored. But I'm still here no matter how much you pretend I'm not._

_Love,_

_Draco_

"That was kind of rude," Kassia said.

I opened the fifth letter.

_Hannah,_

_I don't get why you're ignoring me and I know you're ignoring me. I know screwed up. I know I was terrible to your friends and I know that you're upset, but you've always been one for trying to talk things out. I don't get why you've suddenly decided to take that luxury away from me. I love you but you make me feel like you hate me. I just need to hear from you. Say anything. I miss you._

_Love,_

_Draco_

That one stung. How could he ever think I hated him? I could never hate him, not even after what happened.

"Hannah. . ." Hermione said.

"Maybe you should stop reading," Ron suggested.

"No," I said. "He thinks I hate him because I was ignoring him. The last thing I need to do is go on ignoring him."

_Hannah,_

_You are the most absolutely frustrating woman I have ever met. I used to admire your firmness and your stubbornness but now you're just driving me crazy. I know you're there. I know you're hurting just as much as I am and I know some part of you wants to talk to me. But my patience is waning and I can't wait for you forever._

_Draco_

I was starting to feel like I brought his little outing with Astoria on myself by ignoring him.

_Hannah,_

_I at least deserve an explanation as to why you've been ignoring me. You're not the only one who's been hurt in all this after all._

_Draco_

"Oh, no," Hermione said. "Please don't cry, Hannah. I'm sure he's just frustrated."

"He's only frustrated because I've been ignoring him," I said.

"Please don't cry. I hate when you cry," Ron said.

I took a deep breath. "No. I won't cry."

_Hannah,_

_I think I finally get it, why you're ignoring me I mean. By ignoring me, you're finding a way to move on. If you cut me out for long enough eventually you won't hurt anymore and you'll be able to move on. I'm stupid for not figuring that out. I guess it's time for me to start moving on as well._

_Love,_

_Draco_

"Of course, it all makes sense now. If he had figured that out seven letters ago so many tress might not have died for him to write all these letters to me," I said. "And I bet this letter is going to tell me he went out with Astoria."

"The question is whether or not he enjoyed himself," Kassia said.

I opened the last letter.

_Hannah_

_Moving on is something you've apparently been working on and so it has become a new project of mine as well. I went out with Astoria Greengrass just recently. I didn't think I'd want to, but I'll probably end up seeing her again. Hope you're enjoying moving on as much as I am._

_Draco_

"Hannah. . ." Ginny started.

"Enjoying?" I asked. "He's going out with her _again_?"

"Don't be sad," Ron said.

"I'm not sad. I'm livid. He shouldn't be _enjoying_ moving on. He should be on his knees begging for my forgiveness, sitting inside his room with the curtains closed listening to Elton John's 'I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues' on repeat to drown his depression, praying that maybe I'll come around and that there will be sunlight in his world again. He should _not_ be seeing Astoria Greengrass _again_."

"Well, the _grass_ is sometimes _greener_ on the other side," Ron said.

I groaned. "RON WEASLEY IF I HAD FULL USE OF MY LEGS I'D KICK YOU WITH THEM – REPEATEDLY!"

"Whoa, calm the hell down," Ron said.

"Oh, I will calm the hell down," I said chucking all of the letters into the garbage. "As of today there is no Draco Malfoy. I am moving on. I need a quill, some ink, and parchment."

"Don't write to him while you're angry. You'll do something to upset yourself," Ron said.

"I'm not writing to Draco. I'm taking Hermione and Kassia's advice and writing to Cormac," I said.

Ron groaned. "If you continue on this way Harry is going to beat my ass."

"What are you going to say to him?" Hermione asked.

"Just give him a friendly hello. Ask him how life is. Honestly, it doesn't take much to reel him in does it?" I asked.

"Not really," Hermione said. "He sometimes would mention how pretty he thought you were. . ."

"Hermione, you know you're prettier than Hannah," Ron said.

"No way! Hannah, you're way prettier than I am," Hermione said.

"Baby, I know," I said.

She laughed. "Does this mean you're feeling better?"

"I think so a little bit," I said. "As long as Cormac doesn't come off like a total sleezball-."

"He will," Ron said.

"Mark my words, Ron Weasley, when I can walk again I'm going to fuck you up," I said. "Anyway, as long as he's not a total prat, this should all work out fine."

"Harry won't like this," Ron said.

"Fuck Harry," I said.

"You are in some mood today," Ron said.

I woke up from my temporary bed in the lounge. As stairs were my mortal enemy at the moment, going up and down them every morning was a chore, so I'd taken to sleeping in the lounge.

It was barely two in the morning, but I was awake. I sat up and slid myself into my wheelchair.

_*Only five more days and I can be rid of this damn chair.*_

_-I will walk again!-_

I wheeled myself into the kitchen where Tonks and Mrs. Weasley were up having tea.

Tonks looked like she was in an even worse mood than when I'd last seen her this morning. She was still a bit pale and instead of having some amazing color hair like she usually did, it was a dull mousy brown color.

"Hannah, what are you doing up?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I wish I knew," I said. "Hello, Tonks."

She forced a smile, but then went back to staring down into her tea.

"Harry should be by with Dumbledore soon if you'd like to wait up for him," Mrs. Weasley said. "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you," I said.

"Molly, I wish people wouldn't be as stupid as they're capable of being," Tonks said, apparently going back to their conversation.

"Don't we all," she said with a chuckle, and handing my cup of tea, "but that's life."

"Life sucks," Tonks said. "No, life doesn't suck. People who are just too. . .too stupid to see a great opportunity knocking right at their front door make life suck. What about the good opportunity? Is it just going to be left standing there knocking forever? No, because opportunity goes away after a while, but what about all that time opportunity wasted knocking on the door?"

"I don't know what you're on about, but I think you should calm down," I said. I was all the crazy this house needed for a while. Tonks didn't need to add to it.

"People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones," Tonks said.

"Ah, that was you taking a dig at me for having my own issues and then commenting on yours, right?" I asked.

"Correct," Tonks said. "I heard you read all those letters anyway."

"Sure did. Apparently he got mad that I was ignoring his letters and he went out with some fourth year girl Astoria Greengrass a few days ago and that he's planning on going out with her again," I said.

"Oh, gee, Hannah," Tonks said sympathetically.

"No, no, no, don't take pity on me. He's moving on. So am I," I said.

"Define moving on," Tonks said.

"I'm just talking to some other guy now. That's all there is too it," I said.

"Oh, to be able to solve your problems like a teenager," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I long for those days," Tonks said.

The kitchen door opened and Harry and Dumbledore walked inside.

"Hello," I said.

"Hey, my favorite little cripple," Harry said.

"I love you too, bro," I said.

"Doing well Hannah?" Dumbledore asked.

"As soon as I get out of this chair I will be," I said.

"Good to hear it. And you Tonks?" Dumbledore asked.

"I feel like this tea just isn't strong enough," she replied. "I'd better head home."

"Oh, Tonks, don't go," I said.

"No, it's fine," she said.

"Well be sure to come back tomorrow," Molly said.

"We'll see," Tonks said. "Goodnight."

She got up from the table and left. Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley exchanged knowing glances and then he left as well.

"I'm going to skip on dinner, so I'll just go to bed, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said.

She smiled at him. "Big breakfast tomorrow then."

"Got it," he said. "Hannah."

"Yeah, I'm going too. Goodnight," I said.

Harry wheeled me out of the kitchen into the lounge.

"Sleeping here are you?" he asked, parking my chair in front of the couch.

"Only for now," I said. Harry lifted me out of the chair and sat me down on the couch. He took my place in my chair and stared at me for a moment.

"How are you, in terms of that boy?" Harry asked.

I shook my head. "I'm moving on. So is he. That's the way it's supposed to work."

"Okay. . . Define moving on," Harry said.

"He went out with that Astoria Greengrass girl," I said. "So. . . I kind of was convinced too start talking to someone else."

"Someone else? You mean someone not Draco?" Harry asked. "Who?"

I sighed. "Cormac McLaggen."

Harry frowned. "Really? Why?"

"For the same reason you made out with Parvati when you broke up with Cho," I said.

"Damn it. I've become a bad influence," Harry said. "Have you tried just talking to Draco about going out with Astoria instead of this nonsense?"

"If I talk to him, there's the possibility of being convinced to go back out with him and I don't want that," I said. "I need a distraction."


	3. Smooth Operator

_[A/N: Glad to be back everyone! My vacation was amazing (I caught a fish, had to put a worm on a hook – it was gross). My times in the backwoods of Ohio has given me some major inspiration so, onward!]_

"Alright, Miss Potter, you are clear to get out of that chair then," the healer told me. "Take it easy for a while. I strongly discourage you from playing Quidditch if you're into that kind of thing."

"No worries there," I said. Now I had the perfect excuse to not try out for the team this year.

"Mister Black, I'm gonna need you to fill out some paper work," the healer said.

"Stay right here and don't let anyone kidnap you," Sirius said.

"You're going to be ten feet away. Don't worry so much," I said. He smiled at me and walked over to the desk.

I stood there waiting.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite little pen pal." I turned around and saw Cormac walking toward me, with no shirt on and his arm in a makeshift sling.

"Oh, McLaggen, hi," I said.

"Potter," he said, flashing me a smile.

_-Stop staring.-_

_*I can't help it. Who knew he looked like that under his shirt?*_

_-He's looking at you weird. Say something.-_

"You're very. . . Muscley," I said.

_-I'm pleased to see you're making use of that extensive vocabulary you have.-_

Cormac laughed. "Thank you for noticing. What brings you here?"

"Oh, I've been in a wheel chair since that incident at the Ministry of Magic. Just came to get permission to walk on my own two feet again," I said. "I'm guessing your visit has something to do with your arm."

"Oh, yeah, training for Quidditch you know. Your brother's a shoe in for captain, it's no secret that he doesn't like me, so I figure I gotta make sure this all works out in my favor," he said.

"Well you look like you're well on your way to doing an amazing job," I said.

_-Stop talking. You're embarrassing yourself.-_

"But enough about me, let's talk about you and your summer," he said. "How have you been Miss Potter? Heard about your nasty little break up with Malfoy through the grape vine."

I scoffed. "I'm sure that was all over school before I even left."

"That's Hogwarts for you," he said.

"I heard he's been seeing Astoria Greengrass," I said, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

"The little sister of Daphne who's always hanging out with Parkinson?" Cormac asked.

"The same," I sighed.

"What a prat? He could've at least upgraded, though I'm sure that's hard to do after you," Cormac said.

"Not really," I said.

"Ah, don't be like that, Potter. The way I see it, modesty is the same as lying, especially in your case, Beautiful," he said.

"I bet you say that to all the girls," I said.

"Only the single ones," he said. I rolled my eyes. "Look, I know all those things Granger says about me, but let me honest with you, she was clingy."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm 17, I'm good looking, I've got my whole life ahead of me. She was a relationship girl. I'm not a relationship guy, so there's really no reason for us to even be talking if that's what you're looking for," he said.

"I just broke up with a boy I was dating for a year and a half. What makes you think I'm looking for something serious?" I asked.

Cormac cocked an eyebrow at me. "So you just intend to use me then?"

"I just need a distraction, not a boyfriend," I said. "Right now you're doing quite the job at being distracting."

". . . Alright, Potter, I get you," he said. "Look, my uncle, Tiberius, is having a party Saturday, small gathering of some important people from the ministry, politicians, a few classmates. You come, put on a slinky dress, be my arm candy."

"Arm candy?" I asked.

"Yeah, and I'm sure it would drive Malfoy crazy, because, you know, he and his mother are going to be there," Cormac said.

"Oh, really?" I asked.

"Come, you'll enjoy yourself," Cormac said, "or at least, Malfoy won't."

"So, who was that sparsely clad boy you were talking to at St. Mungo's?" Sirius asked at dinner that night.

"Sparsely clad?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah, some hulking best of a boy arm wrapped up in a poorly made sling and no shirt on just walks up to her in the middle of the hospital and starts talking to her," Sirius said.

"That's just Cormac," I said.

"That sounds like him, alright," Ron said rolling his eyes.

"He hurt his arm training for Qudditch because Harry doesn't like him very much and since, he supposes, Harry is going to be team captain this year he has to be able to prove his worth when we get back to school," I said.

"What were you talking about?" Lupin asked.

Another annoying part of the summer was that I now had to deal with Tonks, Lupin, and Sirius day in and day out. I'd gone from having no parents to having three overnight, and the fact that I'd spent the better part of the break crying my eyes out had left them constantly interrogating me.

"Nothing really," I said. "Except, well he invited me to his uncle's party on Saturday and I was wondering if it might be okay if I went."

Tonks, Lupin, and Sirius immediately exchange worried glances.

"I don't know how safe that would be," Sirius said.

"I don't think it'll kill me to go out and behave like a teenager for once," I said.

"Well there is kind of a dark wizard seeking to kill you and all," Lupin said.

"Well, I just happen to know that two order members are going to be at that party as well," I said.

"Really?" Sirius asked. "Who?"

"Tonks and Kingsley. It's Tiberius McLaggen's party. Cormac told me that he asked our brand new minister of magic to extend an invitation to all the members of his former department, the auror office, and that attendance was _not_ optional," I said.

"Damn, you've got this all planned out don't you?" Tonks asked.

"Hannah is brilliant in the worst way sometimes," Kassia said.

"So, can I go?" I asked.

"Why do you want to go?" Sirius asked.

"I need a good distraction," I said.

"Are you sure it doesn't have something to do with the fact that an invitation was also extended to Narcissa and Draco and that they'll probably be there as well?" Tonks asked.

"On my list of top five reasons why I'm going that probably falls in at. . . Number seven," I said casually.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," Sirius said cautiously.

"As long as Tonks is going, I suppose you can go," Lupin said.

"And don't go off canoodling with that boy. He smells like too much hair gel and trouble," Sirius said.

"Worry wart," I said.

"I'm allowed," Sirius said. "Your whole personality has done a 180 this week. It has me in a permanent state of concern."

"Hannah's existence is cause for a permanent state of concern," Ron said.

"Hey, I can walk again. Don't test me. I still owe you from last week," I said.

"When did I get so many scars on my legs?" I asked. I was sitting in the lounge Saturday evening, waiting for Tonks to arrive so I could go to Cormac's party. "I used to have such nice legs."

"You still have nice legs," Ginny said.

"So, what are you supposed to be doing this evening anyway?" Harry asked.

"Something along the lines of mingling," I said.

"And what do you plan to say to Draco?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing if I can help it," I said.

"Wishful thinking," Ron said. "Malfoy loves confrontation."

"And Cormac is bound to say something to piss him off," Harry said. "I mean, every time he opens his mouth I want to hit him and Malfoy has a worse temper than I do."

"And his mother is a bit of a bitch as well," Kassia giggled.

"Yeah, be careful of _your_ temper," Ginny said.

"Well, as long as he doesn't bring Greengrass along I should be fine. I can handle Narcissa Malfoy and _obviously_ I can handle her son," I said.

"Don't drink too much. You know how you get when you drink too much," Harry said.

"_I_ know how you get when you drink too much," Ginny said giving me a wink.

"I wish I could remember, Gin," I said returning her wink.

"Will you two stop that?" Ron asked.

"Yeah it was bad enough we had to witness it but you both keep bringing it up," Harry replied.

Tonks walked into the lounge, seeming slightly irritated at that moment. Her hair was still a short and a mousy blonde color, as it had been every time I'd seen it recently. She wore a purple knee length, spaghetti strap dress and matching ballet flats.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked with a sigh.

"I see you're just itching to get there," I replied climbing to my feet.

"I hate going to stupid cocktail parties for work. I've been invited to dozens of them since that incident at the ministry. Kingsley too," Tonks replied.

"What for?" Harry asked.

"Well because of you two obviously. They're trying to get in good with you so can be their poster children or whatever and they're just thrilled with anyone who's on a first name basis with you," Tonks said.

"Oh, so apparently I'm about to go into a house filled with hoity-toity rich people swarming all over me and asking if I can do them favors," I said.

"Yes," Tonks said. "Just remember, you asked to go. So let's get going before I lose my job or something."

I waved goodbye to my friends and followed Tonks out of the house on the front stairs.

"So, how are we getting there?" I asked.

"Apparation. Dumbledore says you've done side along before haven't you," Tonks said.

"Of course," I replied.

"Good, then you don't need a lesson," she said, taking hold of my hand. "Here we go."

With a popping sound, there was the feeling of being sucked into a tube and blackness. Suddenly, there was light, the tube feeling was gone and I was standing on my own two feet. I fought away the feeling of dizziness and took balance on my shiny, black cane (sadly, there was no sword inside as Ron and I had wanted).

"Tah-dah, we're here," Tonks said.

We were standing at the front doors of a manor almost as grand as the Malfoy's, though not nearly as bleak and not nearly as old.

Tonks rang the front door bell and a moment later, it was opened by a butler. I'd never really been a big fan of Hermione's SPEW movement, even though I sympathized with Dobby, but it was refreshing to see an actual person open the front door to the house instead of a house elf like at Draco's house.

The butler ushered us inside and walked us through to a ball room.

Snooty rich people were the worst and I was in a room full of them. They were all sipping drinks and using that annoying laugh they all used with each other and they were all probably going on about how happy they were to have so much money.

"What are you thinking?" Tonks asked, looking just as uncomfortable as I was.

"I'm really glad that Ron's family isn't like this. I don't think we could be friends if I had to be around these people all the time," I said.

Tonks smiled. "Just be polite and you'll be fine. You're Hannah Potter. Nine times out of ten, all the people are going to be kissing your ass. You don't have much to worry about."

"Glad to hear it," I said.

"Oi, Potter," I heard the unmistakable voice of Cormac call out. I turned and saw him approach me.

"That the boy you came here to see?" Tonks asked. I nodded. "He looks like he's made of trouble."

"And aren't I?" I asked.

"Touché, Hannah," she said.

Cormac reached me and flashed me what I assumed was his flashiest, most charming smile. Tonks remained unimpressed.

"Glad you could make it," he said. He extended his hand out to Tonks. "I'm Cormac McLaggen, one of Hannah's classmates and fellow Gryffindor."

"I'm Auror Tonks, one of Hannah's many, many, many caregivers," Tonks said shaking his hand.

"Awe, you're the rookie that made the Greyback and Fitzpatrick arrest back in November," Cormac said. "And after assisting in the capture of a dozen death eaters I hear tell you're actually in the running for Dawlish for the position of Senior Auror now that Shaklebolt has taken over the office."

Tonks smiled. "I'm going to let you take Hannah, just let me speak with her for one moment."

"Of course," he said.

"You know, it's funny, I don't think I've ever heard Cormac talk so much about someone other than himself for so long," I said.

"That boy is nothing but trouble, trust me. Nothing good comes of boys like that. He has smooth operator written all over him," Tonks said.

"I'll be careful. Trust me," I said.

"The last thing I need are Sirius and Remus to throttle me for letting you get into trouble with him," Tonks said. "And when Malfoy gets here please try to behave. The press is here and they love writing about everything that you do. Stay on your toes. If we're lucky you'll be nothing more than a mention on article about the party on page 18 of _The Prophet._"

"I know. One toe out of line and wham I'm front page," I said. "Discretion is my middle name."

"No, Hannah, that would be _indiscretion_ but let's try to deviate from your usual pattern of behavior," Tonks said.


	4. Of McLaggen and Malfoy

_[A/N: I'm taking 2 five week summer classes starting today, and they're going to be very intense. I definitely won't be updating as often so please don't discourage if I don't update for two weeks at a time.]_

Cormac had linked arms with me as he paraded me around the ball room, introducing me to all the fancy, rich and important people that had come to his uncle's party.

Every single one of them was completely taken with and interested in me. Everyone felt so horrible about what had happened to my parents who I didn't remember 15 years ago and they all knew right from the start that I'd been telling the truth about Voldemort.

And Cormac boasted on about himself to me whenever he got a free moment. He described himself as very athletic, incomparably handsome, a risk taker, and too charming for his own good.

At the moment, the only thing convincing me that I as better off being Cormac's arm candy than Draco's girlfriend, was that Cormac was taller and his skin wasn't as pale and translucent as Draco, but even now I was starting to miss him.

Just as I decided that if Draco walked into the room I would throw myself at his feet and beg him to take me back, Cormac piped up about something other than his godlike qualities.

"I assume you're done with all of these folks. Let's go to the lounger. A few of my mates are in there," he said.

I smiled and gave him an approving nod. How Hermione even pretended to actually like Cormac for more than an hour was a feat and I'd have to commend her on it when I got back to Grimmauld.

Cormac walked me out of the ballroom, through a few empty rooms and into a lounge that opened up into a sun room. Sitting inside were two girls, and three guys, all in my age range and I recognized them as seventh years from Gryffindor, though I knew none of them personally.

"There you are McLaggen," one of the girl piped up. She had long light brown hair that fell into curls over her bare shoulders. Her skin was olive and freckled and her voice smooth and low. "We've been waiting for you for ages." The girl spotted me and smiled. "Oh, and you've brought a friend."

The sound of snickering filled my ears and I wished I were back with my own friends.

The girl got to her feet and walked over to me. "Genie Hawkins. I've seen you around, Potter."

"And I've see you around as well," I replied, leaving out that I'd never bothered to learn her name and that after I left I'd make a point to forget it.

"Just in case you _don't_ know who we are," Genie said turning, "this is Lailana, Kyle, Dante, and William." She pointed to each other them as she introduced them.

I didn't know any of these kids, but I knew why I didn't spend time with them. Even being in Gryffindor I could tell that we weren't as awesome as everyone made us out to be, especially if you looked at specific groups and individuals.

Sure we could be courageous and helpful, but we could also be self-absorbed and rude. Cormac and his friends inherited all the negative attributes of a Gryffindor and practically none of the good ones.

"So, you McLaggen's new squeeze then?" Dante asked.

They all snickered again and I rolled my eyes again. They were _almost_ as irritating as Pansy.

Almost.

"I most certainly am not Cormac's or anyone else's, for that matter, 'squeeze'," I said.

"Ooh, a bit hostile isn't she?" Lailana giggled reaching into her small purse and pulling out a cigarette.

_*And they smoke. I am done here.*_

_-Sadly, you must endure this for an hour or so more.-_

I did my best not to seem peeved as she lit it and took a long, slow drag from it.

"Do ya smoke, Potter?" William asked.

"I've got enough problems as it is. I don't need to add lung cancer to the list," I remarked.

"Aw, you're as much as party pooper as Cormac is," Kyle said. "He'll eat doxy eggs but smoke a fag? Absolutely not."

"I don't need all that smoke in my lungs while I'm trying to fly on a broom," Cormac said. "Besides, who'd want to snog you if your mouth tasted like ash."

"That is also true," I agreed. Though Hermione had said Cormac's snogging skills were 'sloppy at best' she never complained of him having halitosis.

If I were to make a Venn diagram of good qualities about Draco and Cormac, good oral hygiene would definitely fall in the middle. Cormac wasn't a complete prat.

I spent the next hour exchanging quips with the group and it got to the point where I could almost let my guard down around them and relax. The atmosphere was friendly, if not a bit pompous. More and more discarded teenagers who had been dragged here by their parents poured into the room so it was no longer just us, but everyone else (according to Dante) was not of notable importance.

"You're alright, Potter," Genie decided. "You should hang with us more often."

"Yeah, especially if you decide to keep Cormac around," Demetrius said.

_*Not going to happen.*_

"So, be honest," Lailana said, "what happened with you and Malfoy? All anyone knows is that he was really pissed off with whatever happened."

"Oh, yes, do tell," Genie said. "Did he cheat on you or something?"

"No, he'd never do anything like that," I said, suddenly meek. "It's just. . . There was some very intense hostility between him and my friends and. . . Bro's before hoes." I chuckled as I thought of it. If I could have any of my friends with me here now it would be Ron.

"Seriously?" Demetrius asked. "Because he didn't like your friends?"

"Yes, that's why," I said.

"I'm sorry, but I'd drop any of my friends in second for a good shag," Genie said.

"Then I guess your friends aren't as good as mine," I said.

"Or maybe Malfoy doesn't fall under the category of a good shag," Cormac said.

I rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't know."

"Bull shit," Kyle said. "You have 'I put out' written all over your face."

"Excuse me?" I asked, ready to pick up my cane and beat him into a bloody mess.

"I mean _everyone_ knows that you two fooled around and what not but you guys were just too serious to not have done it," Lailana said.

"Well we hadn't. Never. Not once," I said.

"And you never even thought about it?" Cormac asked.

Draco and I spent half our time thinking about all the things we shouldn't do that we could do and all sorts of other questionable things. But, and I was almost sure of this, if we hadn't broken up by now we'd have ended up doing more than just thinking about it.

"I'm human. Of course I've thought about it," I said. "I made a choice not to act on anything I thought about."

Genie shook her head. "I just cannot believe. Not even once? You didn't even shag him one time?"

"No," I said. "And even if I had I can hardly see how it would be any of your business."

"Everything you do is everybody's business, or did you forget that you're Hannah Potter," Kyle said.

And that was the straw that broke my back. Rather than beat them all with my cane, I was going to find Tonks or Kingsley and leave.

"I think I've endured your company for long enough. I'll be going now," I said.

"Will I be hearing from you again then?" Cormac asked.

I scoffed. "No you will not. I believe I can find my distractions elsewhere if I decide again that I need one at all."

I was just going to stick to lying in my bed crying and debating on whether not I made a mistake day in and day out all summer like I'd originally planned.

Just as I was about to rise from my seat next to Cormac, my eyes fell upon the door. I watched Draco walk into the room, a peeved Astoria Greengrass trailing behind him.

Suddenly I was frozen to the spot. My brain was telling me to get up and go because if I stayed in this room long enough for me to actually speak to Draco I was going to end up crying and more than likely hitting Cormac McLaggen and his smug little friends in their faces. Greengrass didn't look like she was enjoying herself at all which could only mean that Draco was ignoring her.

"Uh-oh," Genie said, turning to grin evilly at me.

It was official; I liked Pansy Parkinson more than I liked Genie.

Draco's eyes fell on me and I knew that it was too late for me to make an escape now. There was only one thing I could to do even though it meant bad news – I had to talk to him.

I got to my feet and walked over to him. Astoria stood by his side and crossed her arms.

"What do _you_ want?" she asked.

"Go away little girl. The grownups are talking," I said. She leered at me until Draco shooed her away.

". . . I don't remember your name being on the guest list," he said.

"Cormac invited me at the last minute," I said.

"You're here with that prat?" Draco asked.

"And you're here with her," I said crossly. "And for the record I wouldn't even be here with him if you weren't with her."

"Were you jealous or something?" Draco asked.

"Um, of course, Dumbass," I said. "I haven't moved on. I still cry myself to sleep some nights. You're still the first person I think about every morning when I wake up and being around someone as sleezy and thick headed as McLaggen all day has only been making me think about whether or not I made the right decision."

I brought my hands up to my face and wiped my tears away.

"I still love you, Hannah," Draco said.

I shook my head and wiped away more tears, though it was getting hard, there were more they were coming more quickly now.

"Please don't say that. You're just making this worse," I sobbed, still trying in vain not to cry. "I love you too but. . . I haven't forgiven you yet. I can't forgive you."

"Why not?" Draco asked.

". . . When my friends can legitimately forgive you for what you've done to them. . . I'll forgive you," I said.

"That's an impossible task," Draco said.

I shrugged. "I want impossible. I'm selfish enough to say that I deserve impossible and if you're not capable of putting aside all of that hatred you have for them for _my _sake then I'm not sure that I really want you anyway."

"You don't mean that," he said shaking his head.

"I do mean that," I said. I wasn't sure if I was lying or not. I definitely wanted to be with Draco, I loved him after all, but I had put so much work into making our relationship work that if he was just going to run around and be an ass clown and act like I was just going to put up with his nonsense because I loved him, he had another thing coming.

"Oi, what's going on here?" Cormac asked coming over.

"I told you, I was just leaving, McLaggen," I said.

"So, we're no longer on first name basis then?" he asked smugly.

"We're trying to have a conversation here. Why don't you go run along and act like an ass clown with your friends," Draco said.

"Ass clown am I?" Cormac asked, getting defensive. "If I'm such an ass clown then why Potter here with me instead of you? Let's ponder that for a moment."

"Sod off," Draco said through clenched teeth.

"What's the matter? Are you upset that she tossed your death eater of a father in Azkaban and then dumped you? I don't blame her. I wouldn't want my name attached to yours after something like that either," Cormac said.

I wasn't quite sure what happened after that. I saw Draco standing there, his fist clenched tightly in front of him and Cormac was on the ground clutching his nose as blood dripped from it.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I shouted at Draco. "Did you thinking hitting him was going to make things better?"

"It made me feel better," Draco said. I shook my head and walked away from him. It was that attitude that was why we weren't together anymore.

I walked over and knelt down beside Cormac. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. Just a broken nose, nothing I can't handle," he said, leering at Draco. "You're rotten to the core, just like your father, Malfoy, and think Hannah here is starting to realize that."

I wanted to say something. I wanted to protest. I didn't think Draco was anything like his father. He was just misguided and very Slytherin. It made it hard interact with other people who weren't like him.

My mouth was open, Draco was waiting for the words to come out, but they never did. Instead, I pulled out my wand and turned back to Cormac.

_"Episkey,"_ I said. Cormac's nose healed itself, though he was still covered quite a bit of blood.

"Thanks for that," he said.

"No problem," I said. I climbed to my feet and watched Draco for a moment. I walked over to him, fighting tears again. "Please just. . . Stop all this. . . It doesn't make me think any better of you and you. . . You're only just hurting me more than you already have."

". . . Sorry," was all Draco said.

"You're _always_ sorry. Don't write to me again until you've stopped being sorry," I said.


	5. 1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back

_[A/N: Please don't troll. It's unkind and no one likes it. Thank you. Also, sorry if this chapter seems a bit jumpy. It couldn't be helped.]_

When I got back to Grimmauld after party, I sat down at the kitchen table, laid my head down and sat there.

I could feel Sirius and Lupin staring at me from the other side of the table, neither of them knowing exactly what to say to me.

"Disaster," I said. "Just as your probably predicted, it was a disaster. Why do you let me do things when they're obviously just going to end up turning out to be complete catastrophes?"

"Because then you wouldn't learn," Lupin said.

"I don't want to learn anymore," I said, my head still down. "I want everyone to stop being so stupid. I want Cormac and his friends to stop being so rude. I want Draco to stop being such a prat. I don't want to learn anymore."

"Well, you can't conform the universe to work for you, Goober," Sirius said.

"I hate the universe. All it's ever done for me is cause problems," I said. I stat my head up and wiped tears from my eyes. "And believe it or not Draco wasn't even the biggest issue I had there. It was McLaggen and his stupid friends. Do you know what they said to me?"

"What?" Lupin asked.

"They said that I have 'I put out' written all over my face and that everyone thinks I had sex with Draco even though I most definitely didn't, and told them that even if I had it wasn't any of their business anyway and then you know what they said? They said that I was Hannah Potter and that _everything_ I did was everyone's business because that's who I was. Apparently privacy means _nothing_ to anyone except the people with whom I actually sure my private thoughts with," I said.

I slammed my head back down onto the table and started crying.

"And then I get so angry that I decided I was just going to find someone to take me home when Draco shows up with that tart Astoria Greengrass. Then he starts going on about how me misses me and how it's just an impossible task to get along with my friends and then I started crying and the Cormac, the big idiot, walks over and Draco calls him an ass clown and Cormac all like 'If I'm such an ass clown why is Hannah here with me?' which doesn't do anything but piss Draco off. Then Cormac starts going about how I ended up putting Lucius in jail because he's a death eater and wrongly claims that I broke up with Draco because I didn't want my name attached to that – so Draco broke nose and. . . "

I dissolved into incoherent sobs after that, so much so that I could barely understand what I was saying at all.

". . . Please stop crying, Hannah," Lupin said. "I know this seems like one of the most awful things to ever happen to you but. . . I assure you, you've been through worse and this is just a speed bump."

"I hate speed bumps," I cried. I lifted my head up and wiped my tears away. "I'm going to bed."

"You haven't even had dinner yet," Sirius said.

"I don't have much of an appetite," I said.

The next few weeks passed by with me mostly being in bed either crying or reading something to keep myself from crying.

Before I knew it, I woke up and it was my birthday.

I was supposed to be excited and happy that I was 16 and that next year I'd be 17 and legal. I should've been on cloud nine, but all I could think about was that at this time last year, I'd been with Draco, and it only depressed me.

I dragged myself out of bed that morning and made myself look less miserable than usual. Sirius and Tonks were definitely going to be on my case about being cranky on my birthday and I needed to avoid as much harassment as possible.

I walked down to the kitchen and could hear lot's of chatter inside.

"What's going on?" I asked as I walked inside.

Sirius immediately looked at me and frowned. "The real question is why are you being such a downer? It's your birthday! You're 16."

"Would you like me to do a cartwheel?" I asked shortly.

"Hey, no attitude in here young lady," he said. I rolled my eyes. "Your OWL scores are here."

"We got an 'E' in potions, Hannah. An 'E'," Harry complained with Ron. "Snape is only taking NEWT level students with Os. What am I supposed to do with my life now?"

"You could always cop out and be a Hit Wizard," I said.

Ron frowned at me.

"Just ignore her," Sirius said dropping the result down in front of me.

I opened the envelope and looked it over. "Oh, look. All Os and I've been accepting into the Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts student teaching program this year. Shocking."

"Be happy about something, please. You're bringing us all down," Hermione said.

"I bet I can cheer Hannah up," Tonks said. She reached into her pocket and held out another letter. "This one comes from the head of Department of Education down at the ministry. I was asked to deliver this to you personally."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Open it and see," Tonks said.

I sighed as I opened it.

"Miss Potter," I read, "we at the Department of Education of the Ministry of Magic of the United Kingdom, would like to congratulate you on your outstanding OWL test scores. It has been brought to our attention that you applied for and were accepted into the student teaching program for potions and defense against the dark arts. This exempts you from all potions and DADA course work for your remaining two years at Hogwarts. However, from your school records, you have shown to have be academically outstanding consistently in all of your disciplines. This in conjunction with your perfect OWL scores makes you eligible for the Accelerated Learning Teaching Aid Program."

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"I dunno, I've never heard of it," Hermione said.

"Well keep, reading! You're almost at the best part!" Tonks squealed.

"That ALTAP is a program designed specifically for students looking for careers in the field of education that have shown remarkable academic and leadership skills. The ALTAP will allow the student enrolled in the program to complete their NEWT studies during their sixth year of schooling and allow them to undergo educator certification and training during what would be their seventh year while also working as a teaching assistant. . ."

I stopped reading right there and let the last few sentences sink in.

"What?" I asked. "Does this letter say that I can. . . That I can. . ."

"That you can graduate a year early? Yes it did," Tonks said. "Usually you just have to have graduated and achieved proper OWL and NEWT level scores in your area of teaching to be a proper teacher, but with the certification and training-."

"I could end up running the education department if I wanted to," I said. "I'd have access to tons of research other people wouldn't have. I'd have more flexibility with what I taught and how I taught and I could even get grants to do independent research and get access to material for my class that would otherwise just be unheard of."

"That's brilliant," Harry said.

"I know," I replied reading the letter over one more time. "I don't. . . I don't even know what to say."

"That you're going to do it of course!" Hermione said. "This is a once in a life time opportunity. I'm certain this doesn't happen often."

"It doesn't, because people like Hannah don't come along very often," Tonks said.

"I don't know," I said. "It sounds like a lot of hard work. I mean, I'll be doing my apprenticeship with Snape and student teaching in both potions and DADA already. Not to mention NEWT level classes are dreadfully difficult and it means I'll actually be taking the NEWT at the end of the school year instead of next year and I'll have to complete _all_ of my sixth year course work by December and seventh year course work by the time all the seventh years finish their work. Not to mention I'll have constant exams to take for potions and DADA to make sure that I'm still actually qualified to teach and -."

"Trying to do all that in one year would make my brain explode," Ron said.

"I know," I said. "Which is why I'm going to do it."

"Really?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, I mean, while I'd be delighted to grade all of Snape's papers for the next two years, I think it'd be even nicer to actually _be_ a teacher," I said.

"It'll be tough," Lupin said.

"True, though I'm sure compared to fighting a dark wizard it'll be easy won't it?" I asked.

"Too true," Sirius said.

"What are you thinking?" Tonks asked.

I sat the letter down on the table and sighed. "This is going to sound really lame but hear me out all the way through to the end."

"I'm all ears," Ron said.

"Right. . . So, I broke up with Draco nearly three months ago and it's got you all wondering why I'm still in such a dreadful mood and why I still cry all the time and why I feel like piss every day, but. . . Even though it was nearly three months ago to me it still feels like yesterday. And I'd like to wake up every morning and not be so crabby and miserable, but it's not easy when the first thing I think of every morning is him and how much I care about him and how he hurt me and how I in turn hurt him," I said.

". . . So you feel bad?" Lupin asked.

"Of course I do," I said.

"Hannah," Lupin began, "it doesn't feel good to hurt people-."

"Except mimes," Tonks said. We all stared at her for a moment, confused. "You know, mimes? Because mimes aren't funny and beatings aren't funny but I bet if you beat up a mime it would be hilarious being that they wouldn't scream and all."

A chorus of restrained laughs made their way around the table.

"Anyway," Lupin carried on, "it doesn't feel good to hurt people, unless it's a mime as Tonks said, but sometimes it can't be helped and it happens. And he did hurt you after all."

"Yes, but I don't make a point to go revenge seeking," I said.

"It's not really revenge though is it? It's more like suffering the consequences of your actions. What goes around comes around," Lupin said.

It was now the end of summer. School was to start in a week and I was prepared for what was sure to be the most academically traumatizing year of my life.

Since my birthday, my mood had increased slightly. The prospect of being able to start a brand new leg my life was exhilarating and I felt that if I was going to start something new in my life that maybe this new start would help me finally get over Draco.

We were in Diagon Alley, prepared to gather all of our things for school that day.

Mrs. Weasley had sent Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Sirius, and me to Madame Malkin's to get robes while she would get school supplies. Then we were all to meet in Fred and George's joke shop.

We entered Madame Malkin's and I immediately saw a sight for sore eyes – Narcissa Malfoy. Standing not too much farther away, his back to us, was Draco, getting fitted for his robes.

"Oh, no, I've walked into a nightmare," I groaned to myself just as Narcissa turned to see us.

"Well if it isn't Little Miss Heartbreaker," she said.

". . . Hi," was all I said. Like I needed confrontation. I turned to Sirius. "Can I just go with Mrs. Weasley and get school supplies?"

Narcissa scoffed. "Always running away from your problems I see. Never wanting to lay in the bed you've made."

"I don't need a lecture. Least of all from you," I replied.

"Oi, I don't want any trouble," Madame Malkin said.

"Sorry," I replied.

". . . Hannah?" Draco's voice called out.

He turned around and stared dead at me. I looked down to my feet.

Draco hopped of the stool and walked over to me. Reluctantly, I looked at him. He had his same pale skin and blue and blonde hair, but he seemed tired, as if he'd spent all summer inside of his own head and hadn't come out at all.

". . . Can I talk to you?" he asked.

I sighed. "I dunno if that's a good idea."

"I just need three minutes of your time. Just three, if that," he said.

My emotional state was crumbling and I'd barely spoken to him. Three minutes of conversation was definitely going to wear me down.

". . . Fine," I agreed, reluctantly.

He pulled me away from everyone behind a rack robes far on the other side of the shop.

"At Cormac's party. . . I was just. . ." Draco started.

"You were an ass. A complete jackass. I don't know what you were thinking but none of it was a good idea," I said. "But on my part, when he said those things about you being rotten to the core and being like your dad. . . You know it's not true don't you? You know I don't agree with him. You totally broke my heart and were just awful to my friends but. . . I know the person you are and you're not like that."

I don't know why I'd suddenly come out with that, probably because I hadn't been able to say it at the party when it happened.

". . . Thank you," he said. "But. . . Things would be different this time, Hannah. Not just with me and you but everyone."

"I can't believe that's true unless I can actually see it with my own two eyes," I said. "At Cormac's party you just-."

"Those people were-."

"They were people and even if they were completely unclassy and totally rude that doesn't mean you get to hit them in the face. How could you expect me to have changed my mind after the show you put on," I said.

"I just want another chance," he said.

"I've run out of chances for you, Draco. I want nothing more than to go back to the way things were and for us to be together and happy but I don't want to be looking over my shoulder wondering if my friends are telling me the truth or not," I said. "I love you like crazy and I've spent the better part of the summer crying in my room being miserable without you but. . . I don't want to be miserable with you too."

I might as well have added "I still want us to be friends." I'd already ripped his heart out his chest and stomped on it repeatedly.

". . . You know this is where I first met you, on your birthday, back before we started first year. I guess it's kind of appropriate that it all ends here," Draco said. "I guess I'll see you at school, Potter."


	6. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

"That was definitely a step in the wrong direction as far as my emotional state is concerned," I said, after we'd arrived in the joke shop. "At least I didn't cry. I will later though."

"I'm sorry," Harry said.

"I don't even know why I'm upset. I mean, I broke up with him. I should be happy right?" I asked.

Harry shrugged. "It's not as if I've ever been in your position."

"Ugh! You know he hasn't called me Potter since we were 12 years old," I said. "I feel like crap."

"Cheer up, then," a voice said. I turned round to see a petite girl, dressed in a Weasley Wizard Wheezes uniform. She had blonde hair, with one streak of pink going right down the front of it. She smiled at me. She held out a cauldron cake too. "George asks that you not be so gloomy in the shop. It's bringing everyone down."

"Uh. . . Sorry," I said take the cake. "Who are you?"

"The name's Kaitlin," she said, pulling her apron off. "George told me to come bring you this cake so you'd stop being so emo and so I could introduce myself. I'm starting Hogwarts in your year next week."

"Oh, nice to meet you," Harry said extending his hand, "I'm-."

"Everyone knows who _you_ are Harry and Hannah Potter," she said.

"Kaitlin," a hoarse voice called out. Kaitlin immediately frowned at us as a short woman with short cut black hair approached us. "There you are. I haven't got all day. We've got to get home. . . Why is there pink in your hair?"

"Relax mum, it's fine," Kaitlin said.

"It's quite unprofessional dear," the woman said.

"I work in a joke shop mum. Unprofessionalism is encouraged. Besides, George says it's fine, that he likes it even," Kaitlin said.

I stared at the woman. She looked familiar. ". . . Can I help you?"

"I'm sorry, it's just that. . . I feel like I've seen you somewhere before," I said.

"Maybe you've been in my shop, Fluker's Boutique, just up the road," she said.

That's when it hit me. "Oh! You were one of my mother's friends, Janessa Fluker. I must recognize you from an old photograph."

"Me?" she asked. She looked at me hard and then to Harry and then it hit her, just like everyone else. "You're Lily and James' kids aren't you?"

"Yeah," Harry said with a nod. "It's nice to meet you."

"And you too," she said. "Wow, I can't believe this. You're like a little blast from the past."

"We get that a lot," Harry said.

"Bugger me! Janessa Fluker!" Sirius called out, dashing across the room full speed and taking her into a hug.

"Sirius, hi," she said as he released her. "Glad to see you're not actually a murderer."

"I'm glad too," he said. "You met Harry and Hannah I see."

"Of course," she said. "Sirius this is my daughter, Kaitlin. Kaitlin this is Sirius Black."

"Yo," Kaitlin replied flashing him the peace sign.

"She's starting Hogwarts next week," Janessa said.

"Oh, really. Where has she been at all these years and what's taken her so long to get to Hogwarts? Hmm?" Sirius asked.

"That's a long story, I'll have to tell you about later," she said. "Have you been in touch with Dana and Ronnie-."

"All of them, even Remus," Sirius said. "He's here right now actually."

"Is he?" Janessa asked, seeming somewhat terrified by the thought.

"Oh, don't be like that. I know the whole reason we fell out in the first place was because you two broke it off, but we're all adults now," Sirius said. "Oi, Remus!"

"What?" Lupin called out across the shop.

"Get over here! I've got a surprise for you!" Sirius said.

"More Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder and kicking me in the shins does _not_ constitute a surprise," Lupin shouted back.

"Yeah, he's _totally_ a grown up isn't he?" I asked. Sirius stuck his tongue out at me. "Yeah, because that totally disproves my point."

"You've been hanging out with Remus and Tonks too much," Sirius said.

"What is it, Sirius?" Lupin asked.

"Look who I found!" he said, yanking Janessa over. "Surprise!"

"Hiya, Remus," she said with a curt wave a smile.

"Janessa wow. . . It's been a while," he said.

"I know, right?" she chuckled.

"It's amazing, really. It's been nearly 17 years since either of you have spoken to each other, yet the awkward break-up tension is still there," Kaitlin said.

"Oh, no. It's my future," I whispered to Harry. He shook his head.

"Kaitlin, how about we go introduce you to everyone else before Hannah freaks out and has some strange flash forward," Harry said.

"Sounds like a plan," Kaitlin said.

Harry and I walked Kaitlin over to Hermione who was examining a love potion.

"Hey! I helped develop this one," I said to her.

"Did you really?" Hermione asked.

"Yep. Leave it to me to teach these boys how to make a love potion within the parameters of the law," I said. "Kaitlin this is Hermione Granger, the smartest girl in our year. Hermione, this is Kaitlin. She's starting Hogwarts this year and she works here apparently."

"Nice to meet you," Hermione said with a smile. "So, you've probably already met Ron and Ginny then have you?"

"Yep. Ginny's alright, but that Ron. . . He's a bit of a dork isn't he?" Kaitlin said.

Harry chuckled as Hermione's eyes fell down to her feet.

"So, Ron and Hermione have been dating since late December," I said.

Kaitlin glanced around awkwardly and then smiled at Hermione.

"Well, it looks like I've just stuck my foot in my mouth," Kaitlin said. "I do that sometimes."

"It's okay. No one does it more often than I do," Harry said. "Besides, I don't know what Hermione's being so sensitive for? She calls Ron things far worse than a dork."

"Of course I do, but they're terms of endearment," Hermione said.

"Hermione's moody you'll learn to deal with her," I said.

"Really, because I hear _you're_ the moody one," Kaitlin said.

"That'd be true," Harry said.

I rolled my eyes.

"What house do you reckon you'll be in?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, this one's got Gryffindor all over her," Kassia said popping up behind Kaitlin.

"Yes, actually. I've been sorted already," Kaitlin said. "And you are?"

"Kassis Stasiak. Slytherin. And you are?" Kassia asked.

"Kaitlin Fluker-Fitzpatrick," she replied.

"I was a transfer student last year. From Poland," Kassia said. "Why're you transferring in?"

Kaitlin stopped smiling and seemed rather serious. She pushed the streak of pink hair that hung in front of her face behind her ear.

"Let's just say that there aspects of my personality that my old school found unfavorable," Kaitlin said.

"Well obviously Dumbledore would take you in. All of the kids in our school have unfavorable personalities," Kassia said.

"Kaitlin, let's go," Janessa called out.

Kaitlin sighed. "It's been a pleasure. I bid you adieu and I will see you in school."

Kaitlin walked out of the shop, following her mother. "She's so. . ."

"Odd," I replied.

"I like her," Harry said.

"Oh, Kaitlin? Piece of work she is," Ron said joining us.

"I noticed," I said.

"Hey, look," Harry said pointing out the shop window.

Draco was walking down the street, alone, looking rather suspicious.

"Why do you suppose he's run off from his mother?" Ron asked.

"Have you ever spent time with Narcissa Malfoy? I'd run off too," I said.

"Maybe we should see what he's up to," Harry said.

"No way. Mrs. Weasley would have our heads for running off in this state," I said. "Dumbledore would have our heads for running off."

"Not if they don't know we're gone," Harry said opening his bag revealing his invisibility cloak.

"Look, I don't know about you, but I've lost my interest in what Draco does in his spare time," I said. "Follow him if you like, I'm staying here. I've had my fill of him for the day."

Harry tossed the cloak over Ron and Hermione and they scurried from the shop.

"He hasn't been the same since you broke up you know," Kassia said. "He is different."

"I'll believe it when I see it," I said.

"Look I'm. . . I'm afraid for him," Kassia said.

"What for?" I asked.

"When I saw visited over the summer he just. . . He wasn't right," Kassia said. "Something Cormac said to him at his party just did not sit right with him and he just. . . I've never seen Draco so lost inside of his own head before. I've never seen him so. . . Angry."

"What did Cormac say?" I asked.

"Something about him being rotten and just like his father or whatever," Kassia said. "I kept telling him that Cormac was an idiot and that you still loved him and could never think something so awful about him."

"You're right. I couldn't," I said.

"But he said that you something to him to make him think otherwise," Kassia said. "What did you say?"

I shrugged. "I didn't say anything to him after that. I fixed Cormac's nose and I left."

"Without a word to him?" she asked. "You had to have something."

". . . I told him to stop hurting me that. . . To stop everything he was doing because. . ." Then I remembered. "I told him that the way he was acting didn't make me think any better of him. . . And after my silence I'm sure he thought I meant he was like Lucius."

"Poor choice of words," Kassia said.

"In retrospect," I said. "But I did just tell him when I saw him that it wasn't true because I felt awful about it. You don't think he'd have done something stupid do you? What could he do?"

Kassia shrugged. "We'll just have to see."

"He works in Knockturn Alley, not opposite land, Hermione," Emily said.

We were back at The Burrow in Ron's room discussing what my three companions had seen when they left me at the twins joke shop.

"Horrible day isn't it? Good thing you're not looking into being an auror isn't it?" Kassia asked.

"Well, anyway, Draco could be death eater," Harry said. "And he's fixing something that there's two of and he'd look rather stupid carrying it around."

"It could be anything," Emily said.

"Let's back up for a second," I said. "Draco? A death eater? That is completely absurd."

"Is it? Remember in Madam Malkins she stabbed him with a pin in his left arm?" Harry asked.

"Let's stab you with a pin Harry. See how much you like it," I said.

"But then he lifted up his sleeve to show Borgin something in the shop," Ron said. "I'll bet you anything it was the dark mark."

"Call me crazy but I don't think Draco would do something like that," I said.

"Okay, Crazy," Harry said.

"Hannah's right. . . I mean. . . Draco's to young isn't he?" Hermione asked. "And why would he try to get back together with Hannah if he were a death eater? That doesn't make any sense. I mean, Malfoy may not be the greatest thinker but he's not going to risk hurting Hannah again."

"If Draco were a death eater he'd avoid Hannah at any rate just to see that she was safe," Kassia said. "And Narcissa definitely wouldn't let him be a death eater after what happened to Lucius. She may be cold blooded but she loves her son."

"Unless everything we ever thought about Draco is wrong, he can't be a death eater," I said.

Harry nodded.

"Alright. . . I'll take your word for it," he said. He nudged Ron who nodded in agreement, though it was clear that neither one of them was quite sure we were right.

The attic door opened and in leaned Mrs. Weasley.

"Time for dinner you lot," she said and then leaned out.

"I still think what Malfoy was doing was suspicious," Ron said. "I mean what was he showing Borgin then?"

"Maybe he had a fancy new watch on and he wanted to show it off," I said.

"Crazy," Harry repeated.


	7. The First Cut is the Deepest

_[A/N: I am sorry if there a mistakes in this one. I read it over about 4 times so hopefully I caught most of them. Also – I'm generally displeased with life at the moment because Twitter is over capacity and I am addicted to it. Lol!]_

"Be sure to write us if you need anything," Mrs. Weasley said hugging us all goodbye, except for Emily who was already in an embrace with Fred determined to not let go.

"Don't let the ministry give you too much trouble and if anyone harasses you just tell Dumbledore," she said.

"Yes Missus Weasley," I said.

Just then a group of girls walked past us onto the train.

"Hi, Harry," they all said in unison before giggling. Harry hung his head down.

"Not this again. It's fourth year all over," he said.

"Yes, dozens of beautiful girls swooning over you all the time," Veronica said sarcastically. "Your life is going to be so hard."

"It is. It takes a lot of work to get them to all leave me alone," Harry said.

"Yes, I remember what that was like," Sirius said.

"Except, you were a whore and didn't really want them to leave you alone," Lupin said.

"This is true," Dana said.

"Oh! It's Blaise!" Kassia said. "I guess I'll be seeing you guys at school and you guys during break then," Kassia said. "Do widzenia."

"Good bye, Kassie," Fred said, slightly confused by the Polish. She only ever spoke Polish when she was excited or angry. Kassia walked down the platform to Blaise. I watched Draco board the train just behind him.

I was already dreading my next encounter with him.

The train whistle blew.

"That time already," I said hugging everyone one last time.

"Make sure you tell me how your first day of class goes with Snape," George said.

"Oh, I will. I promise. Won't spare you anything," I said.

"And if you get any idea of new potions we could use for the shop, let us know. You could profit from this," Fred said.

"I'll think about it," I said. I looked to Lupin and Sirius. "You'll be wanting to know how it goes as well then?"

"Be sure to tell Sirius all about it, but I'm afraid I'll be out of reach for a few months," Lupin said.

"A few months?" I asked, tragically.

"Christmas is the next time you'll hear from me," he said.

"Christmas? I'll have accidentally blown up some poor kid by then. Day one will be old news," I said.

"I'll still want to hear all about it," Lupin said.

"And when you see Tonks again, tell her I'm very irritated that she wasn't here today or with us at Hogsmeade," I said.

As far as Tonks was concerned, she hadn't been herself all summer and whenever I brought it up, Sirius and Lupin got uncomfortably quiet.

"Don't. . . Don't blame her for not being here," Lupin said.

"Yeah, it's not her fault after," Sirius said. "She's just having some personal issues that won't be easily resolved."

"But I'm sure she'll be doing better soon," Lupin said.

"I hope," Sirius said. "Now go get on your train."

I dragged my things onto the train and it pulled away.

We walked down the corridor, searching for seats.

"Hey! In here!" a voice said. We looked back and Luna, looking just as adorable as always. We walked back to her cabin.

"My, this is a tight fit," Neville, who was in the cabin as well, said.

"Well Ron and I will be going to do prefect duty now so you'll have a little more air," Hermione said.

"Yeah, and I'm sure _someone _will be around to kidnap me eventually. It never fails," I said.

"Oh, speaking of which, I actually have to go find Dean," Ginny said rushing to the door.

"What for?" Harry asked.

"Oh, don't you guys worry. It's nothing like that," she said. "I'll be back soon."

She walked out the door, Ron and Hermione followed.

"So, how've you been Hannah?" Neville asked.

"I've been better," I admitted. "Luckily, I've been worse."

"Talked to Malfoy at all?" Luna asked.

"A few times," I said. "Never successfully without crying at some point."

"When did you talk to him last?" Neville asked.

"Last week," I said with a sigh.

"It'll be alright, Hannah," Neville promised. "The first cut is the deepest as they say."

Our door slid open and a fourth year by the name of Romilda Vane.

"Oh, Harry, Hannah," she said, "I was wondering if you'd like to come sit with me and my friends. You don't have to sit with _them_."

_*Oh no she did not just refer to Neville and Luna as them.*_

"Wow, you must not care if people think you're a bitch or not," I said.

"Excuse me?" she asked crossing her arms.

"Look, you can try to be as intimidating as you like but a few months ago I was nearly killed by a couple of dark wizards. You don't scare me. Please take that irritated look on your face back to your cabin and think again before you come in here insulting my friends. Bad things happen when you hurt my friends – ask Marietta Edgecombe," I said.

Romilda rolled her eyes and walked away, slamming the door behind her.

"Wow. . . You've become exceptionally ruthless over the summer," Luna said.

"Not really. I just have a lot of misplaced anger. I can't exactly kick Draco in the throat so I yell at annoying people," I said.

The cabin opened again. There stood Colin Creevey. "Hey Colin. What's up?"

"The new Professor, Slughorn, he asked me to give you these," he said. He handed Harry, Neville and me an invitation. "It's to have lunch with him in his cabin."

"Colin, who else has gotten one of these?" I asked.

"Uhm, Blaise Zabini, Cormac McLaggen, Marcus Belby, and he invited Ginny personally after he hexed someone," Colin said.

"Thanks Colin," I said. He nodded and walked out.

"Wonder what this is all about," Harry said.

"I remember reading in mum's journal that Slughorn loved to dote on students who he thought could one day be of special interest to him. He thinks we're special and wants us in his club," I said.

"But why me?" Neville asked.

"Your parents obviously," I said. "Blaise's mum, Cormac's uncle and Ginny's hexing power. He's started already."

"Was your mum part of his club?" Luna asked. I nodded.

"We'll be back, Luna," Harry said.

Neville, Harry and I walked out of the cabin and down the row of carriages until we reached Slughorn's. Neville knocked.

"Yes, yes. Come in," Slughorn said.

Neville slid the door open to reveal the gelatinous mass that Professor Slughorn, eating a pheasant. Neville looked at him a look of complete appall on his face.

"Mister Longbottom, the Potters. Great. You're all here," Slughorn cheered.

We walked in and sat down.

"Hey, Blaise, how ya been?" I asked.

"Super, except for the sulking emo cloud that is my best friend," Blaise said.

"Oh. . ." I said.

_-He's sulking because you broke his heart.-_

_*He broke mine first.*_

_-He's hurting.-_

_*And so am I. He lied to me...*_

_-But you've always been able to forgive hm... Why not now?-_

I shook the thoughts away.

"So, Mister Zabini, tell us about your mum?" Slughorn said.

Blaise looked over at me. He'd told me that his mom was a gold digger. She'd married five times, each husband died "mysteriously", leaving her an ass load of money. Blaise explained it to make it sound less scandalous to the cabin members, though Ginny had a look on her face that showed she knew what had went down.

"Now Mister Longbottom. Your parents are parents to be proud of. They were brave people if I'd ever heard of any," Slughorn said.

Neville merely nodded. Just like Harry and I, parents was a touchy subject for him. They'd been tortured to insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Harry and Hannah. . . Well I don't think your story needs explaining now does it?" Slughorn asked.

"I'd hoped not," Harry said.

"Well then we'll move onto Miss Weasley," Slughorn said. "That was by the best bat boogey hex I had ever seen in all my years."

Everyone in the cabin shuttered at the thought of falling prey to Ginny's hex. She was deadly and dangerous and no one wanted to be a part of that.

When Slughorn finished fawning over us we all started exit the cabin.

"Miss Potter," Slughorn said, just as I was leaving.

"Sir?" I asked.

"I heard you're a bit of a troublemaker during class," Slughorn said.

"I've been told I take more after my father when it comes down to behavior," I said.

"I also heard that like your mother you are unusually gifted," Slughorn said. "You earned to privilege of being a student teacher for potions didn't you?"

"Yes I did," I said.

"You have a passion of potions don't you? Why?" Slughorn said.

"It's always just called to me really and I've had an unnatural talent for it. I've got a gift," I said. "I don't want to just waste it. I want to help someone with it."

"Well then, tell your other friends the next time I'd like to see them is after classes tomorrow," Slughorn said. "Oh yes and you'll be doing your student teaching under me won't you be?"

"Yes. That's what I've been told," I said.

"You're on top of your game Potter. Just like your mother. Shame she never wanted to teach. She'd have been great," Slughorn said.

"Of course," I said. I was already becoming a teacher's pet.

I walked out and went down the hall to find Blaise's compartment. I heard him talking inside of one and I knocked on the door.

"It's open," Parkinson hissed. I had a feeling I was walking into something I didn't want to be a part of.

I slid the door open. Inside was Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Kristen, Kassia and of course, Draco. This was not where I wanted to be right now.

_*Just tell Blaise and leave.*_

"Hey, Blaise, Professor Slughorn wanted to meet us again tomorrow after classes," I said.

"Cool," Blaise said.

"Hannah, why don't you come and sit down with us? I haven't talked to you in forever," Kristen said.

"No, I couldn't. I have to-."

"Come on Hannah. This group could use a little more intelligence," Kristen said.

"That it could, I admit but-."

"Please Hannah. We miss you," Blaise said.

"She's not going to," Draco firmly. He was looking out the window, avoiding my eye. "Just leave her alone."

The cabin went silent and awkward. Everyone realized why I wasn't staying.

It was at the moment that I realized it, this sucked. Draco had been my friend for so long and if things continued on this way we'd never speak to each other again. It hurt enough taking him out of my life in the way that he was but to cut him out completely would hurt even more.

"If it's alright with you guys, could I get a moment with Draco, alone?" I asked.

"Of course," Kristen said grabbing Pansy and pulling her out. Kassia, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle followed. The door slid shut and I was alone with Draco.

"Draco, I-."

"You made it quite clear at Diagon Alley where we stood and I respect that," Draco said. He didn't move. His gaze was out of the window. I wanted him to look at me. I wanted to look into his eyes again. I reached above his head and pulled the shade down. He stared at it, determined not to look at me.

"Please look at me," I said. He didn't move. "I'm sorry I hurt you, and if I'm hurting you now I'm sorry for that as well but-."

"But what?" he asked turning to look at me. "You want us to be friends? You want things to go back to the way they were before?"

"Am I stupid to want that?" I asked.

"Do you really think I want to hear that from you?" he asked. "I love you. I don't want to be your stupid friend."

"I can't be your girlfriend. I just don't trust you, but. . . I just know cutting you out of my life one hundred percent. . . That would destroy me," I said.

Draco scoffed. "Now that you've gotten how you feel off your chest, I'm going to tell you how I feel since I have gotten no say any of this. . . You put my father in prison, you broke up with, you went out with that idiot McLaggen, and you ignored me all summer. . . What I want is to hate you but I can't hate you because I'm in love with you. . . I do _not_ under any circumstances want to be your friend. What I want is for you to walk out of this cabin and never speak to me again."

"Please don't do this," I said, pleadingly.

Draco shook his head. "I don't want to hurt anymore, Hannah. I wish. . . I wish I never fell in love with you to begin with."

I shook my head, tears starting to cloud my vision. "How can you wish something like that? I would never-."

"Well I would. . . And I do," he said, walking over to the cabin door. "So. . . Just go."

He slid the door open. They were all standing on the other side of the door, staring at us, waiting for one of us to react.

I rose to my feet, determined not to cry right there, especially in front of Pansy.

"That's how you really feel then?" I asked. Draco nodded. ". . . Fine."

I shoved past the others and made my way back to my own compartment.

Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Neville sat inside, but Harry was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Harry?" I asked weeping.

"He hasn't come back yet," Hermione said. "What happened? What's wrong?"

I sat down, whimpering and wiping tears from my eyes.

"Hannah," Kassia said, "what did he say to you?"

"Who? You went and talked to Draco?" Ron asked. I nodded. "Well what happened?" I shook my head. "Something happened?"

"No, seriously, what did he say, Hannah?" Kassia asked.

"Where is Harry?" I asked getting back to my feet and looking out our door. The only person I really wanted to talk to at the moment was Harry, but he was nowhere to be found.


	8. The New Year Begins

By the time we reached Hogwarts I was now feeling distressed not only over Draco being so harsh to me, but because Harry was missing as well.

We'd searched the whole train and found no trace of him. The time eventually came where we had to exit the train and enter the Great Hall.

"What if something's happened to him?" I asked.

"I'm sure he's fine," Ron said. "There are only so many places he could be."

"He's been gone for hours though. Who just up and disappears like that without a word to anyone?" I asked.

"Just calm down. He'll turn up eventually," Hermione said, more to calm her own nerves than mine. She was worried too.

"Potter." I turned and Snape was standing behind me.

"Thank goodness! Have you seen Harry?" I asked. Snape shook his head. "He was with us on the train and we went to eat lunch with Slughorn and no one has seen him since. I'm afraid something may've happened to him."

Snape sighed. "That boy, always causing problems."

"It's just I was having a bad day already and now Harry's missing," I said.

"It may interest you to know that we have Auror Tonks doing a walkthrough of the train before it returns to London. If your brother is still on the train she will locate him and bring him here," Snape said.

"And if he's _not_ on the train?" Ginny asked.

"Then we'll have a new set of problem won't we?" he asked. "As for you, Potter, Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak to you before dinner begins. I will go and tell Tonks to keep a special eye of Potter."

I looked up to the head table at the front of the Great Hall where Dumbledore was seated and let out a sigh. I wasn't really in the mood for any of this right now.

I dragged myself up to Dumbledore, trying not to look as miserable as I felt, but nothing ever gets past him.

"What's happened to you?" he asked.

"Draco for starters, but my real concern at the moment is that Harry went missing on the train and no one has seen him," I said. "I'm trying _not_ to freak out because Snape he was going to tell Tonks to look for Harry but, I'm obviously not succeeding."

"Well, I'm sure Harry will be located, but in the mean time I strongly encourage you to calm yourself," he said. "As you'll notice there is an additional place set here at this table."

I sighed. "You want me to sit at the head table this year?"

"Only a few nights a week and only during dinner, just as way to drive home the point to the students that you are in fact _not_ their peer anymore, but a teacher here like anyone of us and that you should be treated as such," he said.

"I don't know. I'm not really a teacher yet. I mean, I'll be sixth year course work until November and in January I start seventh year course work," I said.

"All the while being student teacher for _two_ classes," he said. "Don't short change yourself. This is a very big opportunity you've been given. Have a seat. Relax, Harry will be found and this year you are going to do an amazing job."

I nodded and took the seat that was for me, near the end of the table next to where Snape would sit.

Eventually, all the students had entered, all the teachers were seated, and the sorting began. It came and went and Harry still didn't show up.

Dinner started and I tried to eat but the concern for where Harry was killing my appetite.

"Your mood isn't very uplifting," Snape said next to me.

"I'm sure you'd be in the mood to do cartwheels if it were Kassia that was missing, then again no one is trying to kill her," I said.

"Something interesting out the window?" he asked, where I had been staring most of the night.

I shook my head. "Nothing." But I was quickly taking back my words. The silvery figure of some type of dog appeared in the sky outside. ". . . Is that someone's patronus?"

Snape looked from the window and over to Dumbledore who, with a silent nod, sent Snape to investigate.

Not to much later, Snape returned with Harry, still dressed down, blood dripping from his nose and all over the front of his clothes.

I got up from my seat and dashed down to him.

"Where the hell have you been? I was worried sick over you," I said. "What happened to you?"

"Malfoy happened," Harry said.

I looked over to Draco and then back to Harry.

"Explain," I said.

". . . I was kind of spying on him under my cloak and he caught me, paralyzed me, broke my nose and tossed the cloak over me sent me on my merry ol' way back to London. Lucky Tonks showed up," he said.

"Why were you eaves dropping?" I asked.

"Because it's what I do," he replied. "Besides. . . I really think he may be a death eater now."

"Nonsense," Hermione said.

"Honestly," he said. "I'll tell you about it later."

I shook my head. "I can't say you didn't deserve it, but. . ."

"I can't help feeling like his anger was somewhat misplaced," Harry said. "He _stomped_ on my face."

"He stomped on your face?" I asked.

"Please don't do anything ridiculous," Harry said.

"Don't worry, I won't," I said looking back up to the head table, where Dumbledore was beckoning. "I have to go. We can talk when we get to the common room or wherever."

I walked back up to my seat and Dumbledore gave me a smile. I looked down at the Gryffindor table. Ginny was helping Harry with his bloody nose while Ron and Hermione made him a plate of food from the leftover they hadn't eaten.

I spotted Parvati and Emily who had found Kaitlin and were going on and on about something to her.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts, and welcome to Hogwarts all first years and new students," he said. "As usual, Mister Filch would like me to remind you all that there is to be no magic used in the hallways in between classes and that all products from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes are banned. If any products are found you will receive detention and the item will be confiscated or destroyed," Dumbledore said. "For your own safety, no students will be allowed in the Dark Forest unless accompanied by a teacher, no students out of bed after hours with the exception of astronomy and only astronomy class, and no one outside on the grounds after dark period. The usual suspects this means you."

Dumbledore made a point to turn and look at me. I smiled and glanced over to Ron, Harry, and Hermione who were also playing innocent.

"On to more important things like. . . Quidditch! It seems all four captains last year graduated so this year we have our four new captains, handpicked by their heads of house. For Ravenclaw we have Miss Cho Chang, for Hufflepuff Zacharias Smith, for Gryffindor Harry Potter and for Slytherin Draco Malfoy," Dumbledore announced.

There was an uproar of applause, especially from Gryffindor and Slytherin who were probably looking forward to Harry and Draco playing against each other as captains.

"If you wish to join the teams, please speak to your captains about try-outs. Also, Lee Jordan, or commentator of many years has graduated and we are looking to fill that positions as well," Dumbledore explained. "And, I'm sure you're all curious about our staff this year. First I would like to welcome back Professor Horace Slughorn who has kindly agreed to fill his old post as potions master."

I watched Harry, Ron, and Hermione as the confusion hit them. The next bit of news was going to shock them even more.

"Position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be filled by Professor Snape," Dumbledore announced.

Among the confused whispers and applause, I heard Neville and Harry tragically call out "NO!"

I sighed. This was going to be a fun year for them.

"And also you'll notice we have added young Miss Hannah Potter to our staff. She is currently a part the ministry of magic's Accelerated Learning Teaching Aid Program. This means that in addition to completing all of her NEWT level course work this year, she will be acting as a teaching assistant for all potions and defense against the dark arts classes, but will also be acting as a student and substitute teacher in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw fifth year potions and defense against the dark arts classes," Dumbledore said.

There was applause and even a few confused ramblings about why someone would put themselves through such hell to be a teacher.

The answer was simple enough – I was crazy. Plain and simple.

Dumbledore went on with his usual speech and then dismissed everyone for bed.

I stood up from the table and was prepared to walk upstairs, but Dumbledore stopped me.

"Before you go to bed, how would you like to show some new students around?" he asked.

I sighed. "You know I hate that."

"Well, that's just something you'll have to get used to," Dumbledore said walking me over to the students. "I'm sure you've met Kaitlin already."

"Yes," I said.

"And this is Marius and Natalia Drake. They're from Spain," Dumbledore said.

I turned to introduce myself but I was stunned. There in front of me was a gorgeous six foot tall man, with dark hair, smoky eyes, and smile that could stop my heart.

"Hola," he said.

Both Kaitlin and I giggled involuntarily.

"Ravenclaw I see," I said. "What year?"

"Sixth," he said, "though my sister is going to be a fifth year."

"Oh, so I'll your student teacher," I said.

"I look forward to it," she said with a smile.

"Miss Potter will show you around a bit and then lead you to your dorms," he said. "Good evening."

I walked into the common room, Kaitlin at my side.

"Wow, swanky digs," she said. I chuckled.

"Dumbledore says you're in our room. If you go up those stairs and to the left you'll be in the girl's dorm and you'll find your name on our dorm somewhere," I said.

"Hope I don't get lost," she said.

Kaitlin dashed up the stairs. I walked over to the couch and sat down with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Where've you been?" Harry asked.

"So ask the boy who disappeared all day," I said. "But if you must know, I was showing Kaitlin and two other new students around. Brother and sister, fifth and sixth year, both Ravenclaw, and gorgeous."

"Both of them were gorgeous?" Hermione asked.

"Yes? The girl, Natalia, was like glowing or something. She was stupid pretty," I said. "And her brother Marius can only be described as dreamy. I don't think I've ever met someone who even compares to him. I mean, Bill, who I've considered to be an Adonis of man my entire life is nothing compared to Marius."

"Those are some big words. Bill is gorgeous," Hermione said with a yawn.

"I know but. . ." I sighed. "You'd have to see him to understand."

"Well, maybe I'll understand tomorrow," Hermione said getting to her feet. "I'm going to bed."

"Me too," Ron said. "Goodnight, you guys."

Ron and Hermione walked upstairs.

"So, tell me, what exactly happened on the train today?" I asked. "I was looking for you."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because, Draco said something to me on the train," I said.

". . . About not talking to you ever again?" he asked.

I scoffed and punched him in the arm. "You were in there the whole time weren't you? You heard everything didn't you?"

"Yeah. . . Sorry," he said. "It wasn't right for him to treat you that way."

"But can you blame him? I ignored him all summer, I made him think I hated him, and I-."

"You were doing what you thought you needed to do to keep yourself from hurting, just like he did. That doesn't mean he had any right to hurt you like he did," he said. "I love you, sis and I just want you to know that as your brother, I do reserve the right kick his ass if you want me to."

I chuckled. "No, besides, after tonight I don't think you'd win."

"Hey, he got the jump on!" Harry said.

"Stop eavesdropping. He may be a prat but he's not evil," I said.

"If you say so," he said.

"Goodnight, Harry," I said.


	9. Wordless Magic

_[A/N: I'm a Hufflepuff through and through. What house do you belong in? Also – I'm going to try to start responding to reviews from now on – especially the really good ones so keep 'em coming]_

"So, I have to finish all of this work by mid-November?" I asked, looking at the daunting stack of papers and books in front of me.

"Yes," McGonagall replied.

I laughed. "Oh, my God! I'm going to die."

"Anyone else would. Not you," McGonagall said. "You don't have any classes. You only have one final exam in each of you classes in the third week of November."

"And then I have the rest of the term to mentally prepare myself for seventh year course work _and_ NEWTs, that is assuming I haven't destroyed myself," I said.

"Correct," she said. "Just remember everyday you'll have to go to Ravenclaw and Gryffindor's DADA and potions classes. We've put them together in both classes just for you."

"Thank you," I said. "And also, I'm free to sit in on any classes I like, correct?"

"Correct. And I know about your interest in continuing your astronomy studies even though you don't need to," McGonagall said. "Midnight is your assigned time meet for that class which you'll continue only for your sixth year studies."

"Got it," I said.

"For today, Professor Snape and Slughorn request that you let them have their fifth year students to themselves for the day and you'll begin your student teacher duties tomorrow," McGonagall said.

"Excellent," I said.

"Might I ask how you'll be spending your first day?" she asked.

"I'll be around definitely to potions and defense against the dark arts. Probably your class as well and Hagrid's. Other than that, I'll be in my room, crying over all of these books," I said.

McGonagall shook her head. "Good luck, Potter. I believe you can do this." She tapped the books. "They'll be in your old room. I expect you won't want to do all that work distracted by a bunch teenage girls."

"You know me so well, Professor," I said. "Oh, and I was just wondering, about Lee's old position commentating Quidditch, might I be able to step in for that?"

"Well, Zacharias Smith has also asked for the position, but we'll set you both up on the first match and see how you fair," she said.

"Excellent. In the meanwhile, I'm starving. I'll head to be heading to breakfast," I said.

I walked out of her office and headed downstairs to the Great Hall.

I found my friends sitting with Kaitlin at the nearly deserted table.

"You seem to be making friend easily," I said to her

"Well, you guys are just so likable," Kaitlin said.

"She doesn't eat meat," Ron said. "I offered the last piece of bacon, because she's new and all, but she doesn't eat meat!"

"Unusual trait for Gryffindor. We're carnivores," I said.

"Yeah most of the pansies are in Hufflepuff," Ron said.

"Tonks was a Hufflepuff and she's the person who's qualified to be an auror in four years," Harry said. "She's my own personal hero."

"Pansy," Ron said.

"Ignore, Ron. He is a loser," Hermione said.

"Who's the bigger loser? The loser who calls the vegetarian a pansy or the loser who makes out with him?" Ron asked.

Harry, Kaitlin and I laughed as Hermione blushed.

"Excuse me, Hannah," someone said. I watched Kaitlin's face dissolve into a smile and I turned to see who was behind me.

It was Marius. Somehow I contained my swoon.

"Hi, Marius," I said. "Oh, let me introduce you. This is Ron, Hermione, my brother Harry and you've met Kaitlin."

"Nice to meet you," he said.

Hermione looked over to me and giggled.

"Hannah, I was wondering, if it wasn't too much trouble, could you show me to the arithmancy classroom again. I, how you say. . . Forgot where it was," he said.

"Of course, no trouble at all," I said.

"Fantastico! Gracias, Hannah," he said. "Your sister is too kind."

"Yeah, she's pretty great," Harry said.

"She reminds me of my sister in that way. I bet she gets followed by all the boys," Marius said.

"Yeah, that's I keep an eye on her," he replied.

Marius chuckled. "As beautiful as she is, I'd keep two eyes on her."

Hermione, Kaitlin and I giggled.

"Shall we go, Hannah?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "I'll see you guys in DADA."

I got up from the table and walked out the great hall with Marius.

"So, you speak Spanish, right?" I asked.

"Si, otherwise it would be pretty difficult to live in Spain," he said.

"Right," I said, feeling sheepish. "Here's a better question, what are you planning to do after you graduate?"

"I love animals. All kinds of them. So, I'm looking into magizoology," he said.

"Be still my beating heart," I said. "A magizoologist. That requires work with animals. I bet you're taking care of magical creatures."

He nodded. "So far most other students aren't taking it though."

"That's because Hagrid likes to bring dangerous creatures to class and everyone is too terrified to take the class anymore," I said. "Hagrid's a good friend of mine, but because of the ALTAP I'm not taking it anymore."

"So I am taking the class by myself?" he asked.

"Technically, but I love Hagrid so I'll drop by when I'm not being buried in schoolwork," I said.

"What are you going to study?" he asked.

"Potions," I said. "Yes. I love potions. When I make potions I am in a completely different world."

"So you want to make potions because it's fun?" he asked.

"Potions is the only thing I've ever always enjoyed doing and well. . . I mean to help someone," I said.

"Who? You can tell me. I won't tell a soul," Marius said.

"Well. . . Someone very special to me is a werewolf. He has been since he was a child. He was one of my parents' best friends and all he's done since he met me was take care of me and I feel like if I can find a cure, or at least try, I'll have returned the favor," I said.

"He must be very kind to take care of you," Marius said.

"He is. He used to teach defense against the dark arts here in my third year. It's how I met him. My friends and I weren't so friendly that year and I was alone a lot of the time, but I talked to him and the feeling of loneliness went away," I said.

"So you always help people in this way?" Marius asked.

I chuckled. "Actually, I'm pretty selfish to be honest. I love myself and I tend to forget about other people. But every once in a while, someone comes along and they make me realize that the world does not revolve around me. That I'm just one person."

"Well, to the world, you may just be one person, but to one person, you can be the world," Marius said.

"That's so sweet," I said, smiling.

"No. It's just good to have a sense of celebration about yourself like you do. Someone else out there is probably celebrating about you as well," he said.

_*Maybe he was last week but he certainly isn't today.*_

"Well this is your classroom," I said.

"I've enjoyed this chat," he said. "I hope I'll get to continue it with you soon."

"Well, if you need more directions, I could always show you around. I mean, you probably haven't seen where care of magical creatures is, have you?" I asked.

"I haven't," he said. "I have it after lunch."

"Then I'll find you," I said.

"I look forward to it," he said.

"Interesting fellow that Marius," Harry said as I walked with him to DADA.

"Isn't he?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think I actually managed to have an intelligent conversation with him without getting confused, though that could have something to do with the fact that he's from Spain and he's still not clear on a lot of English," he said. "And, fun fact, his English teacher in Spain was actually from Japan. Talk about confusing."

We walked into Snape's classroom which was set up almost identical to his potions room.

I skipped up to his desk.

"Hello, Professor," I said.

"Potter. Didn't expect to be seeing you today," he said.

"Aw, now you know you can't get rid of me that easily," I said.

"What are you planning to do here?" he asked.

"Observe or just be annoying as possible – whichever you prefer," I said. "Going away is not on your list of options."

"Lucky me," he said.

"You are," I said. "Professor Slughorn is the only other person in the whole school who gets to have me looking over their shoulder and asking a thousand questions. So what can I do for you today? I'm here to help you and remember, go away is not an option."

"How about, refrain from being annoying until class is over and then I wish to speak to you," he said.

I sighed. "Okay. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Wordless magic?" he asked.

"Yes! I can. I mean I knew it was going to be one of the first things we were going to learn this year so when I found out I only had a limited amount of time left to actually learn it I took some initiative," I said.

"Good for you," he said. "There's an odd number of students, you'll be someone's partner and it looks as if your old friend Malfoy is going to be late to class."

"Oh, you're evil," I said.

Draco did not want to speak to me and after yesterday, I didn't feel very much like speaking to him either.

Snape began class by explaining that today they would be learning wordless magic. One of the pair would be using _expelliarmus _and the other would be using _protego._

For the longest time there was just a bunch of people standing around looking constipated. It was painful to watch.

The classroom door opened and Draco dragged himself into the room.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence Mister Malfoy. Please note the five points from Slytherin," Snape said.

Draco rolled his eyes and tossed his stuff down at the back of the room.

"Because of your tardiness you do not have a partner for this assignment and therefore you will have to work with Miss Potter," Snape said.

"How grand," Draco replied.

I walked over to Draco and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm no happier about this than you. Luckily, we're learning wordless magic today so all you have to is attempt to disarm me and you don't even have to speak," I said.

Draco pulled out his wand and stared me down for a moment. Then, much to my surprise he managed to shoot out his _expelliarmus_. I almost didn't have time to deflect it.

". . . I think you've got it," I said. He said nothing. "This isn't going to work, you know."

"What?" he asked.

"The not talking thing. As much I'd like to not speak to you it isn't going to happen. We have some of the same friends and we're in the same school. We're bound to-.

"That doesn't mean we have to speak," he said.

"Why don't you want to speak to me?" I asked.

"Why do you _want_ to speak to me?" he asked.

"Because unlike you, apparently I can't cut someone out of my life once they're a part of it," I said.

"Well congratulations. I was out of your life when you broke up with me," Draco said.

"But I was still in yours wasn't I?" I asked. "You were so determined for me to still be a part of your life and all of a sudden I'm out? Why?"

"Because believe it or not I can get hurt just like you can," Draco said. "It hurt that I'm not able to be with you anymore and if cutting you out is the best way to prevent myself from being hurt anymore then so be it."

"And what about me?" I asked.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I'm hurt not being able to speak," I said.

"I sat my feelings aside for you before, Hannah, because I loved. . . Because I _love_ you. But I do have to look out for myself," he said. "When I wanted your attention, when I wanted to work things out you wouldn't listen. I'm doing the exact same thing."

"Two wrongs don't make a right," I said.

"Too bad," he said.


	10. A Change of Heart

_[A/N: Have twitter? I do! Follow me Scribbles5thM. I tweet about nonsense, Harry Potter and more nonsense!]_

"You seem rather grumpy," Snape after class was over and everyone had gone to lunch.

"People make me grumpy," I said. "But no matter, what did you want to see me about?"

Snape reached under his desk and lifted out a large box. He sat it in front of me.

"Open it," he said.

I gasped. "A present for me? Really?"

"Just open it," he said, trying not to drag this on.

I opened the box and lifted out the most beautiful cauldron I had ever seen.

"This is a size four cast iron cauldron from the Mamet Company. This is the most high quality cauldron ever. People in the Ministry of Magic's potion research and development department would murder to get their hands on one of these and I have one! I mean, I sleep with a copy of the Mamet Potions catalogue under my pillow but I never dreamed I'd ever get my hands on one of their cauldrons! This is amazing," I said. "Oh, Snape I don't even know what to say. Thank you."

"Just don't screw up," he said.

I nodded. "I'm guessing a hug is out of the question." Snape nodded. I squealed. "Thank you a thousand times. Thank you."

Snape nodded.

I skipped down to the Great Hall and sat down with my friends.

"You're in an uncommonly good mood for someone who just got into an argument with Malfoy," Hermione said.

"Oh, that's old news. Snape got me the most awesome gift ever," I said. "A number four sized cast iron cauldron from the Mamet Company!"

They all exchanged glances. I groaned. "They do for cauldrons what the Nimbus company does for brooms and I have the Firebolt."

"But Nimbus doesn't even make Firebolt's," Ron said.

"I'm no broom or cauldron expert but I think the point she's trying to make is that it's a pretty kick ass cauldron," Kaitlin said.

"Indeed," I said.

"Well congrats, especially since it's coming from Snape," Harry said.

"What are you doing after lunch?" Ron asked.

"Well, first I'm going to walk Marius over to Hagrid's. He's the only one taking that class this year," I said. "Then I'm going to go to my room and die under a mountain of school work."

"Can you really learn a year's worth of stuff in half the time?" Harry asked.

"Well, to be honest, I always learn all the material ahead of time but this is two years worth of material ahead of time, which means I'll be fine for my sixth year course work but I'll be going crazy doing that seventh year work in addition to studying for my NEWTs," I said.

"You are a braver woman than I, Hannah Potter," Kaitlin said. "Now what was it you said about Marius?"

"Oh, I'm just walking him to class so he doesn't get lost," I said.

"He kept talking about you in charms class," Harry said.

"Everyone talks about me," I said.

"Not the way he was talking about you," Hermione said. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, come off it, Hannah. You're going to have to get over Malfoy eventually," Ron said.

"I know, I know, but I barely know this boy," I said. "All I know is that he's outrageously good looking and really smart. . . And he likes animals."

"And that is reason enough for you to get to know him," Hermione said. "What could it hurt?"

"Have you ever thought maybe I shouldn't go out with anyone? That perhaps my life would be better if I were single. I do have a lot of work to do. Boys would only distract me," I said.

"You seem to be doing a good job of distracting them actually," Kaitlin said.

"I always do that," I said.

"What happened you with and the blonde ex anyway?" Kaitlin asked.

"He was. . . Kind of unsociable with my friends," I said. "And calling him unsociable is being generous."

"Unsociable like how?" Kaitlin asked.

"He made up a song called 'Weasley is Our King' in which he teased me for being poor and bad at Quidditch," Ron said.

"He called me a mudblood on a regular basis," Hermione said.

"Well. . . We just didn't get along," Harry said.

"Sounds like a swell fellow," Kaitlin said.

"Only to me apparently," I replied.

"You should invite him to Hogsmeade with you!" Ron said.

"What? That's not for another two weeks," I said.

"And your point is?" Ron asked.

"What's Hogsmeade?" Kaitlin asked. "I remember my mother signing some permission slip for it."

"It's a village, a half an hour walk away from the school. We get to go there a few weekends out of the school year," I said. "People like to take dates and things like that."

"Well I can be your date. You don't have to take that unrealistically attractive boy," Kaitlin said.

"See. Kaitlin's my date. I can't take Marius," I said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever you do. . . I'll be watching."

**Hermione POV**

After lunch, the day seemed to move quickly, and finally I found myself in the last class of the day, Transfiguration.

Harry and Ron elected to sit together and Kaitlin, who had been in the middle of a conversation with Neville when we walked into class and found herself a seat with him. I sat alone and sighed.

_*If only Hannah were here.*_

She had originally said she was coming to McGonagall's class, but changed her mind in order to get a head start on her work, which was just her way of saying she wanted to be away from Marius so as to convince us she really had no interest in him.

I pulled out my book and sat it on my desk and then, of all the people to sit next to me, Malfoy took the extra chair.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked.

"Taking transfigurations if I'm not mistaken," he said.

"Why are you next to me?" I asked.

"No one else is sitting here is there?" he asked.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"To talk to you," he said.

"You can talk to me any time. I don't want to be stuck next to you all year," I complained.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm not _that _awful," he said.

"Says the boy who's spent the better part of six years calling me anything from a wildebeest to a mudblood," I said.

"I'm a changed man, Granger. You're about to become my friend," he said. "I can't win Hannah back if you hate me."

"You told her today in class and on the train that you never wanted to speak to her again and last night you broke her brother's nose. Me hating you is the least of your problems," I said.

"I've had a few moments of weakness, I'll be honest, but from here on in we're gonna be buddies," he said.

I groaned. "Someone, please kill."

"As your new friend, I will not kill you, I would, however, like to know something," he said. "Who is that new kid in all of our classes, the Ravenclaw one."

I chuckled. "Oh, I see. You're jealous. That's what brought this change of heart."

". . . Tell, Granger," he said.

"His name is Marius. Marius Drake. He's from Spain. He wants to be a magizoologist, he's brilliant, he's gorgeous, and probably his most positive factor is that he isn't you," I said.

Draco scoffed. "That's a negative. She loves me."

"Love you or not, you're at the top of her shit list – just under Voldemort so. . ." I said.

". . . I'm sorry," Draco said.

"What?" I asked.

"For the past six years of harassment and torture," he said. "I know I've been the worst sort of person. Especially to you. . . And Weasley. . . And pretty much everyone else you associate with. I, mean you're the most brilliant person in the whole school, muggle born or not it doesn't take away from who you are."

My jaw dropped. "You actually sound sincere."

"I am being sincere," he said.

"Well you've spent the past six years almost being a total prat. It's hard to tell," I pointed out. "Still, Malfoy, she's angry. Very angry. I don't know what you said to her today but she was angry. Also, you did break Harry's nose."

"I can still fix this though!" Draco said. "Help me, Hermione. Please?"

"Since when do you call me Hermione?" I asked, stunned.

"Since now. Since we're friends," he said.

"We are _not_ friends," I said.

Draco slammed his head down onto table with a loud thud that made me jump.

"Ow. . . " he said. He sat up rubbing his forehead.

"You're embarrassing yourself," I said.

"If that's what it takes to get Hannah back then so be it," he said. "I am prepared to beg for your help."

"Hannah, is my best friend. I don't want to see her get hurt again," I said with a sigh.

"I swear on my meager and unimportant life that I won't hurt her again," Draco said. "Please help me."

I sighed. Was I really about to help Draco Malfoy who for the longest time has been the bane of my existence win back my best friend?

"Essentially, Malfoy-."

"Call me Draco," he said.

"No. . ." I replied. He frowned. "All you have to do is get on my, Harry's, and Ron's good sides."

"And how am I supposed to do that, I mean they're not as inclined to listen to me as you are," he said.

"Which I'm sure is why you came to talk to me in the first place," I said. "You're smarter than I give you credit."

"Probably not, but I'll take that compliment," he said.

"As far as Ron is concerned you'll probably want to just feed his ego a bit, it'll be a bit more difficult to win over Harry just because you're you," I said.

"I feel like he may be a lost cause," Draco said leaning back in his chair.

"Maybe not," I said. "I wouldn't say you'd have to get on his good side, but Hannah did always like it when you were nicer to Harry than he was to you. It made Harry make more of an effort to be nice and it made you look good."

"I never knew that," Draco said.

"Of course you didn't," I said. "You see, if you were nicer to Harry _all_ of the time then we probably wouldn't be having this conversation."

Draco sighed. "I really messed things up, didn't I?"

I nodded. "She really does love you. I shouldn't be telling you this but, she got Marius throwing himself at her and she's just completely looking the other way. She won't say so, but it's obviously because of you."

"So. . . I've actually still got a chance with her then?" he asked.

"As long as you stop being a prat," I said.


	11. One AM Wagers

_[A/N: I love how some of you are Team Marius and others are Team Draco. Ten points if you tell me why you're on your specific team!]_

That night, after a long hard day of reading, writing, and power naps, I made my way up to the astronomy tower for my midnight class of astronomy, which I was taking alone.

I walked into the tower and took a seat at the telescope.

Professor Sinistra sat at her desk.

"Half the class is here," she said.

"I thought I was the only sixth year taking this course," I said.

"No. My best astronomy student is also taking this class. He always had a flare for it that none of my other students had," she said.

"He?" I asked. I didn't really peg any boys in my year for having any interest in astronomy.

"Sorry I'm late!"

The door opened and in walked a winded Draco who had clearly run all the way up from the dungeons to make it to class on time.

I face palmed myself.

_*Fuck my life.*_

_-Well, he doesn't want to talk to you. . .-_

_*Right! Maybe he'll change his mind and leave!*_

". . . Oh, Hannah, I didn't know _you'd_ be here," he said, frowning at me.

Something wasn't right though. Something just wasn't right about that.

He walked over to the telescope right next to me.

"I'm sure you two will be able to get along," Sinistra said.

"Of course, Professor," Draco said casually. "Won't be a problem."

My eyes narrowed on him.

No, something wasn't right at all. This wasn't normal Draco behavior, at least this wasn't how he behaved around people he wasn't speaking to.

During class he was as pleasant as ever which was almost disturbing. After an hour had passed and I was sure he wasn't some imposter under the influence of the polyjuice potion I was even more concerned.

Class ended and I followed him out of the tower.

I had one of two options I could one, confront and ask him why he was being so weird or I could ignore it and go about my life.

The latter was a safer option.

I walked to the Gryffindor tower and watched him as I climbed the stairs. He even gave me a friendly nod before continuing on his way.

"I don't get it! 12 hours ago he had been going on about wanting to hate me and not wanting to speak to me and now he was being civil! Draco Malfoy is not civil. He is downright, in your face with his disdain for you," I said.

"I know," Ron said.

By now I was in the deserted common room with Harry, Ron and Hermione venting my confusion.

"He's behaving thoroughly un-Malfoylike," I said.

"Well, he claims to still be in love with you. Perhaps he just couldn't hold a grudge with you," Hermione suggested from the floor where she was lying.

I shook my head. "But then he wouldn't have been so rude earlier or even on the train. No. Something is up with that boy."

"Hermione knows something!" Harry said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Well, I knew something was weird when Malfoy sat with her in class. I knew something was weirder when he stayed there the whole class and she didn't cry or hex him," Harry said.

"You _do_ know something," I said.

"You Potters and your crazy talk," Hermione said dismissively.

"Don't make me sit on you, Hermione," I said.

"You weigh like five ounces," Hermione scoffed.

I climbed off the couch and sat down on Hermione.

"Oh, Hannah, you're sitting on me. I couldn't even tell," she said.

"What did you talk about?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said, sitting up. I put my hands on her shoulders and pinned her down.

"Hermione Jane Granger don't lay there and lie to me," I said.

"_Actually_, you should've said 'don't _lie_ there and _lie_ to me'," she giggled.

"Stop being _punny_ and tell me what you were talking about!" I said.

"It's a shame no one is going to believe this actually happened tomorrow," Ron said shaking his heads.

Harry sighed. "Indeed, Ron."

"We didn't talk about anything," Hermione said. "He brought you up, I told him that he was being a prat and that you were angry with him and stood absolutely no chance of getting back with you and we left it at that."

"Why would you say that!" I asked.

"What the hell is your problem?" she asked.

"Why would you tell him that? Now he's being all weird! And stupid! Stupid and weird! And it's all your fault!" I said.

"You'd rather I tell him you're still pining over him and that you whined about him all last night and the night before that and every night before that since you broke up and that the newest cutest boy in the whole school is interested in you but you won't even give him a second thought because Draco is still _all_ you think and talk and dream about?" Hermione asked.

"I do _not_ dream about him!" I said.

"Yes you do, you liar!" Hermione said. "Why else would you have listened 'Can't Stop' all summer!"

"Stuff it, Hermione!" I said.

"Thoughts of you are tattooed on my mind – let me show you!" she sang, teasingly at me.

"You're being an asshole," I said.

"And you're being an idiot!" Hermione said. She reached up and grabbed my shoulder. She pushed me back on to the floor, sat on me and pinned me down.

"Nice reversal from Hermione," Ron commented.

"Did ever occur to you, Hannah Potter, that maybe you actually should get back together with Draco?" she asked.

"No because that's a stupid idea!" I said.

"Then why was it stupid for me to say it to him unless you're holding onto the hope that maybe you guys can work things out," she said.

"I. . . I don't know," I said. "Why were you talking to him in the first place?"

"You of all people should know that on occasion he is actually is capable of having a civilized conversation. He even called me by name instead of calling me a mudblood for the first time ever!" she said.

I gasped. "You – You're plotting!"

"What?" she asked.

I pinned Hermione back down.

"This was funny at first, but now I think you've both forgotten you're wearing skirts and I'd prefer not to be flashed again. Thank you," Harry said.

"You're helping Draco to try to get back together with me aren't you? That's the whole reason you're taking his side!" I said. Then I gasped again. "AND he called you Hermione because he's trying to be friendly with you and he's using you to get to me _and_ the reason he was being weird tonight was because you told him to stop being stupid and to try to talk to me again! This has Hermione Granger written all over it!"

"And I would've gotten away with it too if it weren't for you meddling kids and your dumb dog!" Hermione said.

"What?" I asked as Harry burst into laughter.

"Muggle jokes," Harry muttered. "I love you, Hermione."

"How dare you," I said. "He puts on that stupid whole smooth operator front _after_ he tells me he doesn't want to speak to me twice and after he breaks my brother's nose and you want to believe him. Where was this support a year ago?"

"A year ago Draco Malfoy didn't know how to grow up. A year ago, he was still calling me a mudblood. Today, however he's realizing that his stupid douche bag image is not important because apparently the most important thing in his life is _you_ and that, Hannah is why a year ago I hated him and why today he has my support."

I leered at Hermione.

". . . Did Hannah just growl?" Ron asked.

"Put your stupid pride and your stupid dignity behind you and stop being an idiot about him! If you want him go to him!" she said.

"I don't want him!" I said.

"Then why are you sitting on my chest and pinning me on the floor arguing with me about him?" she asked.

"Because you're being a cunt!" I said.

Hermione let out the most disgusted noise ever. Next thing I knew, Harry had pulled me off Hermione and Ron had a hold on her.

"Wow, and I thought Draco was master at using terms people don't use in civilized conversation, but from my best friend – really, Hannah, I'm astonished," she said. "This must've been why it was so irritating for you when Ron and I weren't going on. I feel like I'm talking to a five year old."

"This is nothing like you and Ron," I said.

"This is _exactly_ me and Ron, except Draco is the one getting the short end of the stick and you're the one who's being stupid!" Hermione said. "Remember, even _after_ Ron found out I liked him he was still being an imbecile and essentially ignoring my feelings and his feelings? What do you think you're doing now?"

"UGH! Shut up, Hermione!" I said.

"No, I will not. I'm your best friend and it's my job to stop you from being stupid and not only is that my job as your friend but it's my job as Hermione Fucking Granger," Hermione said.

"You sure know how to give a motivational speech, Hermione," Harry said.

"I feel thoroughly unmotivated. Offended is how I feel," I said.

"Fine, Hannah, I'll make a bet with you," Hermione said, "I bet that I can convince Harry and Ron and Neville and Luna and every other person who Draco Malfoy has ever pissed off that you should get back together and that by the time you're finished with your sixth year course work you'll be back together and happy as clams."

I laughed. "The mere thought of you convincing Harry that it's a good idea for me to get back together with his mortal enemy is laughable."

"I agree. I will never think it's a good idea for them to be together," Harry said.

"I'm going to agree with Hermione because I happen to like having her as my girlfriend," Ron said. Hermione nudged him. "And I'm going to make an effort to be his friend starting tomorrow."

"And what happens if I'm not," I said.

"I'll break up with Ron," she said.

"WHAT!" Ron asked. "How could you-."

"Do you have faith in me or not?" she asked.

"I do, but-."

"Then let me handle this," she said. Hermione turned back to me. "But if _I'm_ right, Hannah, then on the last Hogsmeade trip before Christmas break you go with me to Hogsmeade and get my name tattooed on you."

"Are you daft woman?" I asked.

"What are you scared that I'm going to be right like I _always_ am?" she asked.

I leered at her.

"Fine. It's a deal," I said.

"No one is going to believe this actually happened," Harry said. "No one! Not a soul!"

"I know!" Ron said. "No one but us knows how crazy these two actually are until they go crazy and beat the crap out of Pansy or walk out of divination!"

"Exactly!" Harry said. "I'm going to write to Sirius and Tonks before I go to bed. They're the only other two people on the planet who may actually believe they're genuinely crazy."

"Lupin would believe us," Ron said.

"Too bad he's away," Harry said with a sigh. "He always knew just how to handle Hannah and Hermione going all psycho like this."

"Stop talking about is like we're not here," Hermione said.

"Sorry," they said in unison.

"So, starting tomorrow, Draco Malfoy is my new best friend," Hermione said.

"Good. And tomorrow, I'm gonna. . . Not date Draco Malfoy, like I have for the majority of my life so. . . There," I said.


	12. Class One

_[A/N: So, usually, I have some vague idea of what I'm going to write in a chapter before I write but that last chapter took on a life of its own and before I knew it was there, existing. Unfortunately (or fortunately for you) there's more crack-fic to come in the future. Delicious, delicious crack fic. Also, tweet me - Scribbles5thM]_

"You and your friends, they are strange," Marius said to me the next morning, as I showed him, again, his way to arithmancy.

"I know. Hermione and I are psychotic in a lovable, friendly, competitive way," I said.

"So. . . Do you think you will get back together with this boy?" Marius asked.

"Draco? No," I said. "Even if he does make friends with my friends it's too little too late. He should've gotten it right the first time 'round."

"Exactly," Marius said. "But, this is my class. Will I talk to you later?"

I nodded. "Sure. I'll find you after lunch like yesterday."

I walked off and started downstairs.

"Hannah Lily Potter."

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to see a smug, Draco walking down to me.

"Don't you have class?" I asked.

"Free period," he said.

"How exciting," I said rolling my eyes.

"I don't understand, yesterday you were so eager for us to be friends and today you're really put off by me," he said.

"It may or may not have something to do with the fact that you manipulated my best friend into thinking I should get back together with you," I said.

"I didn't manipulate her. I – geez, what's the word, oh, yes – apologized to her for years of tyranny," he said. "Apologies are great. I bet if I apologized to people more often for being an asshole I'd have more friends. Hermione even said if I stop being a dick all together that I'll make even _more _friends and maybe, if I'm really lucky and really good, I might even have a shot at getting you back."

"Fat chance," I said.

"I know. It sounds crazy. Especially since you think it's too little too late. That I should've been nicer from the get-go, and you're probably even looking at that new bloke, Drake," Draco said. "And he may be taller, better looking, smarter, have better hair than me, and have a cool accent but there is one thing that I have on him."

"You're more irritating?" I asked.

"I can add that to the list too if you so choose, but you, Hannah Potter, are still in love with me," he said. "And for the moment, you may have more anger towards me than anything else, but if you give me the chance. . . I can make you love me like before – more than before."

"I would love to see you try," I said.

"You also told me to do the impossible – get your friends to forgive me. I already got Ron and Hermione and I feel like I'll be able to get your brother to forgive me too," he said.

"As if. Harry knows what you're up to. He won't fall for your charm like Ron and Hermione have," I said.

"Watch me," he said. "Harry Potter's gonna be my best friend. I even made up a little dance I'm gonna do for you when it happens, just so you know how serious about this I am. It's got twirling and the moonwalk. It's brilliant."

I laughed. "You're crazy. Absolutely crazy. Even if all my friends forgive you what if I _don't_ forgive you? What if I find someone else?"

"Haven't considered it because it's not a possibility," Draco said. "I know you hate when I'm smug and cocky, but it's not cocky if you do it and you back it up."

I scoffed. "That is the very definition of cocky – bragging."

". . . So I haven't been friends with Hermione long enough for her intelligence to rub off on me, but I'll show you," he said.

"I'm so sure," I said, rolling my eyes. "I have work to do. I don't have time for your nonsense."

"Alright, I'll leave you. Lot's to study I know," he said. "I never got the chance to tell you that. . . I'm really proud of you for your whole ALTAP thing. This is probably the last time I'll speak to you without you being behind a tower of books, but. . . I'm glad you're getting to do what you wanted with your life. I'm happy for you."

I smiled at him. "Thanks, Draco."

In the old days, I would've followed that statement with a kiss or an "I love you". I couldn't believe, after months of practically not speaking, how natural how the urge to do both of those things was.

I backed away from him and ran upstairs to my old room.

I collapsed onto my bed and took a deep breath.

I had to be honest with myself. I was still in love with Draco, additionally, I don't think I was very angry with him anymore either.

It was strange, loving someone and being indifferent to them at the same time. Draco was my first love after all, but first love and only love weren't always the same thing. Had that been the case my mother would've ended up with Lupin instead of my dad. There were plenty of fish in the sea and I couldn't waste my time on just one. I was 16 and had my entire life ahead of me.

After getting some work done, I headed down to the potions lab for my first day student teaching.

I walked downstairs into the dungeon where none of the fifth year had arrived yet.

"Hello Professor Slughorn," I said.

"Oh! Hello Hannah! How are you?" he asked.

"Just as fantastic as I wanna be," I said.

"Excellent. You feeling up to just jumping right into teaching while I grade these papers?" Slughorn asked.

"I'd like that more than anything," I said, trying to contain my giddiness.

"Excellent. Now all I need you to do is find the class' point of weakness with potions. See where they struggle, talk to them, get on their level. See how you can make this year easy for them. How they can do well on their OWL and become just as smart and successful as you are," Slughorn said.

I nodded. "Aye, aye, captain."

I turned back around and saw the class had all entered and taken their seats and were conversing while they waited for class to start. Slughorn handed me a stool. I nodded and sat it down at the front of the class.

_-Alright, Hannah. Do your thing. . . Whatever it is.-_

My nerves were shaky and I tried my best to cool down.

I cleared my throat. The whole class was staring at me now.

_*Wow. . . That's a lot of faces. . .*_

_-You can do this. . . just be cool.-_

I looked up and saw Ginny mouthing something to me.

"Just look at me," she mouthed.

I took a deep breath.

"Hi," I said. They all laughed. "You can imagine this is pretty weird because you're all like, my age. But that's okay, because I'm here to help you. So for those of you who don't know, and I don't know why you wouldn't, I am Hannah Potter. Professor Dumbledore has told me it is only proper that I be addressed as Assistant Professor Potter. I think that's pretty lame especially since half of you see me every day in the common or eat dinner with and see me act like a complete dolt."

Many of the students nodded in agreement.

"So, while we're in class I am Assistant Professor Hannah. If Dumbledore has an issue with it he can ground me because he is the only person in the entire universe who has the power to do so, but I digress. . . So. . . You've got to take your OWLs this year. Does anyone have any questions about that test?"

Many students hands went up.

"You in the back with the blonde hair. What's your name," I said.

"I'm Jill," she said. "What's on the test?"

"Uh. . . Everything basically. I know everyone's like I'm a potions prodigy but it's still pretty tough. The easiest part will probably be making a potion unless you of course suck at making potions like one of my friends in which case do flawlessly on the written portion. Otherwise, don't take the class next year and don't feel bad if you don't do well on the potion OWL. Only eight students in my year are taking that class this year anyway," I said.

"That was because of Snape though I guess," Colin said. Many of the class laughed.

"Alright, I know Professor Snape was pretty much. . . Evil," I said. They all laughed again. "But he's a very good teacher none the less. Taught me everything I know. Without him I wouldn't be sitting here with you fine people."

"Yeah but you're a prodigy. You're smart anyway. Anything a teacher says to you makes sense," a boy called out. "Potions is confusing."

"It's confusing?" I asked.

All the students nodded, including Ginny and Luna to my surprise.

"So potions is confusing. . . How many of you plan on taking potions again next year?" I asked.

Only Ginny, Luna, Colin, Natalia and the girl Jill raised their hands.

"How many of your parents are going to take more than the mickey out of you if you don't pass the OWL though?" I asked. All the hands went up. "I see. . . What do you think will help you?"

Ginny raised her hand.

"Ginny, a name I know," I said.

"Well Assistant Professor Hannah, last year we had the DA you know, and yeah it was illegal but whatever but a lot of students learned a lot of things. Every person in the DA who took the OWL last year scored an O in DADA. So maybe study groups. Like serious study groups where we have someone who is knowledgeable actually guide us through the steps of making a potion and lets us make a potion and to help us. Someone we trust," Ginny said.

There were voices that agreed with Ginny.

"Hmm. . . Alright. . . I hear you loud and clear, Ginny. Let's see. There about 28 of you and there are only 8 students taking potions this year, but if include myself. . . So maybe. . . Perhaps if I split you up into groups three, one of four, and had you each work with one of them to tutor you in potions you'd learn better," I said.

All the heads in the class nodded in agreement.

"Hmm. . . Alright then. Well how about you all partner up and work on the first potion in your book and I'll be round to help you all in a minute," I said.

They all nodded and got to work. I noticed that Luna immediately chose to work with Natalia and left Ginny to work with Colin.

I walked up to Professor Slughorn.

"Professor, how do you feel about your fifth period potions class?" I asked.

"Well except for your friend Ronald, they're all very adept students," Slughorn said.

"Even Harry?" I asked.

"Oh! He made the most astounding draft of the living dead yesterday and won a vial Felix Felicis for it. Talented boy he is. Just like you," Slughorn said.

_*Harry is almost as bad at potions as Neville is.*_

_-Something is fishy with this.-_

"You didn't happen to catch any of what I said to them did you?" I asked.

"Yes and I think it's a wonderful idea. Students helping students," he said.

"So we can do that then?" I asked.

"How do you propose to put it together?" he asked.

"Well Tuesday's, Wednesday's, and Thursday's at for an hour after classes three groups can study on one of the days," I said.

"You're a quick thinker Hannah," Slughorn said.

"I try," I said. I looked back at the class, they were a fair bit better than my class was in potions last year. We were probably the worst there was with potions.

Suddenly from Ginny's table something gurgled. I walked over to their table.

"I heard an unhealthy sound," I said.

"Yeah. . . I think it may have something to do with the fact that I accidently dumped an entire jar of newt eyes into my cauldron," Luna said. "These jars get really sweaty."

"It's alright just duck," I said.

"What?" Natalia asked.

"Duck. . . All four of you," I said.

They all ducked down under the table and I went down with them. Next thing I knew there was an explosion and the slime from the potions blew all over the table.

We stood up.

"Whoa. . . How'd you know that would happen?" Natalia asked.

"Years of practice," I said. I did the vanishing spell on the table and Luna and Natalia's cauldron. "You won't have time to start completely over I'm afraid. . . Ginny, Colin, do you mind-."

"No, it's fine," Luna said.

"Yes. It was our clumsy mistake," Natalia said.

"We're willing to take our zero," Luna said.

". . . Alright," I said.

The rest of the class seemed to do pretty well with the potion. When they had all finished I decided to split them up into groups.

"Not everyone can be in Harry's group," I said.

_*I hate groupies.*_

"Can I be in Hermione's group?" Ginny asked.

"Me too," Colin said. I wrote their names down for Hermione.

"And can I have a Ravenclaw in her group as well so she's not hanging out with her roommates," I said.

"I'll do it!" Jill said just as Luna went to raise her hand.

I had to write Jill down to be fair. I couldn't be biased. I was teacher after all.

"Sorry, Luna. Who's group would you want instead?" I asked.

". . . Harry's?" she asked.

"Next best thing I suppose," I said.

_*Since apparently he's mister big, important potions guy now.*_

I wrote her name down for Harry.

"May I please work with Harry as well?" Natalia asked.

I glanced up at Ginny who looked quite annoyed at this.

". . . Yes," I said reluctantly.

I ended up putting a boy named Marvin from Gryffindor into their group and the rest of the class was dived up according to how much they'd learn from someone else (of course there were three very annoying girls who reminded me of Pansy so guess who's group they were put in?)

Class finally ended and I was able to be called Hannah at last.

"30 points to Gryffindor for your outstanding leadership," Slughorn said.

"Oh I couldn't-."

"But you could," he said. "You weren't bias at all. I've heard that Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood are two of your best friends. It took a great deal of courage to treat them like students instead of friends. Now go on to lunch. It appears Ginny is waiting for her friend, Hannah."

I nodded and walked out of the classroom to Ginny who stood by the door waiting for me.

"How was my first day?" I asked.

"Super," Ginny said.

"Brilliant of you to come up with the idea of tutors," I said.

"Brilliant of you to pick your classmates to do it even though they were the dumbest kids potions ever," Ginny said.

"It was either them or 7th year Ravenclaw and I don't feel like dealing with Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe these days," I said.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "She's going to steal Harry."

"What? Who?" I asked.

"Natalia. She's going to take Harry and hijack him," Ginny said.

"Harry won't-."

"Harry likes Natalia," Ginny said.

"He thinks she's hot like every other boy in the school does," I said.

"Well he's the only one she's paying attention to," Ginny said.

"Like every other girl in the school," I said.

"It's Harry this and Harry that. And Luna you're this and Luna you're that and Harry's such and such and 'I'm sorry Ginny. I didn't realize your hair was red.' She drives me mad!" Ginny said. "She's a friend thieving heifer cow!"

"Ginny, don't think on it," I said.

"I can't help but. I've known her two days and she's taking everything from me," Ginny said.

"Well you've still little loser me," I said.

"I guess you'll do," Ginny said.


	13. More Responsibility

"Natalia doesn't strike you as a friend stealing heifer cow does she?" I asked at lunch.

Hermione scoffed. "She seems perfectly nice."

"Where did that come from?" Ron asked.

"Your sister. She reckons she's trying to steal all of her friends," I said. "Apparently she's already stolen Luna from her and is well on her way to stealing Harry?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Harry and Ginny are like peas and carrots," Hermione said.

"I told her, but she remains unconvinced," I said.

"Kind of like you," Hermione said with a smile. I rolled my eyes.

"So you guys have got a lot of work to do this year," I said. "You're going to be help the fifth years learn potions."

"I can't teach myself potions," Ron said.

"That's why the people in your group are better at it than you are," I said.

"Who's in my group?" Hermione asked.

"Colin, Ginny, and some Ravenclaw girl named Jill," I said.

"And who's in Harry's group?" Ron asked.

"Luna, Natalia, and some boy named Marvin," I said.

"So Natalia _is_ plotting to make it so that Harry is her friend and Ginny's?" Ron asked.

"You're crazy," I said. "Where is that twin o' mine anyway?"

"Over there chatting up Natalia," Hermione pointed. I looked over and saw Harry with her.

I rolled my eyes. "It's a new girl every week with that boy."

"The little heartbreaker," Hermione said. "Anyway, are you coming to watch tryouts on Saturday?"

"Damn right I am," I said.

"We have to split the pitch with Slytherin," Ron said.

"What? Why?" I asked. "Wait. . . Let me guess, this is Draco's attempt at getting on Harry's good side right? Split the pitch. Put their difference aside? Turn over a new leaf? Yes, this sounds like something Draco would do at your suggestion."

"Actually, that was all Snape and McGonagall's doing. No plotting from us," Hermione said.

I rolled my eyes as Harry came and sat down with us.

"Yo," he said.

"So, what was Professor Slughorn telling me earlier about your amazing potions skills in his class and winning some Felix Felicis?" I asked.

"Oh," Harry said going into his bag. He pulled out the tiny vial of clear liquid. "Tah-dah."

I looked over to Hermione. "What did he do?"

"He cheated," Hermione said.

"Of course he did," I said. "How?"

"Well, the potions book I had for the class has a bunch of notes written in the margins and I just kind of, did what they said," Harry explained. "It wasn't cheating."

"And to whom did this old potions book belong?" I asked.

"Someone called the Half-Blood Prince," Harry said.

I nodded. "And what happened the last time you fooled around and followed the instructions that magically appeared in a tattered old book belonging to a mysterious person?"

"This is nothing like Tom Riddle's diary," Harry said.

I shook my head. "I bet you a galleon that by the end of the school year this will bite you in the ass. Get rid of it."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because it's cheating. Besides, I should confiscate it from you and give you detention because I'm a teacher and that's what they do. But you're my brother so I'm going to trust you to do the right thing," I said.

Hermione scoffed. "You should _never_ trust Harry to do the right thing. Just like when he got the firebolt or Tom Riddle's Diary or when he didn't practice occlumency."

"Hey, not practicing occlumency saved her life," Harry pointed out.

"I'm sure he's grown up enough to actually follow directions," I said.

This time Ron scoffed. "He attacked Snape in class and got detention today."

I face palmed myself. "How?"

"Well, I can't exactly do wordless magic and Snape attacked me so I deflected it," Harry said.

"And knowing you, you followed it up with some snarky and ridiculous comment about how you had to defend yourself and you also probably insulted him in some way," I said.

"You know me so well, Twinny," Harry said.

After lunch, I walked with Marius to Hagrid's class and then did a bit of studying and then went on to Snape's DADA class.

Again, Ginny was being proved right when Luna was sitting with Natalia instead of her. Ginny had been left to sit with Colin again.

Snape just needed me to grade some papers as they reviewed from their last class. I listened as I graded though. He repeatedly called out Natalia and Luna for having a side conversation and went back and forth with Ginny for being disruptive. Colin answered all of his questions and took his notes like a good student. I'd found my friends and our counterparts in this class.

When class ended I had finished grading all the papers, alphabetizing them and recording them in his grade book.

"You certainly are efficient," he said.

"You should see me do homework. It's masterful," I said. "I won't be this useless tomorrow will I because I could certainly do work instead of this."

"There'll be no need for that," Snape said. "You'll have plenty to do tomorrow during the meeting."

"Meeting?" I asked.

"Yes. During this time tomorrow, I'll be meeting Professor Flitwick. Of course you'll be here to cover the class now won't you?" he asked.

"Uh. . . Uh. . . Cover a whole class? By myself?" I asked.

"Unless you can't handle it," Snape said.

"Well it's not really up to me to decide that is it?" I asked. "I mean, I did a lot of the work in Slughorn's class today, but all by myself? It'll only be my second day."

"Potter, you'll do fine. Stop being so dramatic and get going," he said.

I turned and walked out of his class back to my room to do some work.

"Well, that's a good thing, no?" Marius asked. I was sitting outside on the ground with him that afternoon after classes got out.

I nodded. "Of course it is. The whole point of me doing this program is so I can be a teacher, but Snape's just throwing me into it isn't he?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't have done it if you weren't capable," Marius said. "He has known you your whole life, right?"

"He sure has. Snape and I are like peas and carrots and by that I mean that Snape is peas and I'm carrots because pretty much everyone likes carrots but not many people like peas but for the people that like both we're awesome together," I said.

"My English es no very good, but I feel like you did not make very much sense just now," Marius said.

I chuckled. "It's probably me and not your inability to speak the language. Pretty much every time I try to make a point using outlandish vegetable based examples I end up confusing everyone and even myself sometimes."

"You are truly something special Hannah Potter," he said.

I smiled."Thanks."

"So, I talk to this Malfoy boy today," Marius said.

". . . What about?" I asked, dreading the thought of what Draco would say to him.

Marius shrugged. "He didn't seem to like me very much."

"He gives that impression to a lot of people," I said. "Don't take it personally."

"He asked about you. He may not be very kind but his concern for your well being is quite plain," Marius said.

_*Typical Draco.*_

"Well, I like I said before. It was his concern for other people that had me worried," I said.

"Oh, Hannah Potter!"

I knew that voice – that annoying, cocky, voice.

"Who is that?" Marius asked.

"Cormac McLaggen. Just ignore him. Maybe he'll go away," I said.

_*Wishful thinking*_

"Hannah! Hey there!" he said, standing over us.

"Hi, McLaggen," I said. "This is Marius Drake. Marius, this Cormac McLaggen."

"Nice to meet you, Drake," McLaggen said.

"And you as well," Marius replied.

"Anyway, Hannah, I'm sure you're aware that Hogsmeade is next weekend," he said.

"Yes I am," I said.

"So, who's about are you going with?" he asked. "No one I suspect. How about you go with me?"

"No," I replied.

"Oh, come on, Hannah. I'd hoped we could put that business that happened over the summer behind us," he said. "You and I had such chemistry."

"No we didn't, and no I'm still not going with you," I said.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because I said so. Now, go away McLaggen," I said.

"I think you're passing up a great opportunity here," he said.

"I doubt it," I said. "Besides, I recall you saying you didn't want a girlfriend."

McLaggen scoffed as a smirk came over his face. "Well I don't. I was thinking we could be something more along the lines of 'friends with benefits' if you know what I mean."

"Go to hell, McLaggen," I said.

Cormac leered at me and then walked away.

"I am so sorry about him," I said. "Cormac likes to think he's Casanova or something. We almost hooked up during the summer and I use _almost _very loosely."

"It's okay. It's like Padma Patil told me, your milkshake bring all the boys to the yard," Marius said. I laughed. "I say it wrong?"

"No, no, not at all. It's just. . . It was cute," I said. 

"You're cute," he said.

I chuckled and felt myself blush.

"So I know you told this McLaggen that you no wanted to go to Hogsmeade with him. I want to know if you would maybe go with me?" he asked.

"Sure. Of course," I said. "That'd be great."

"Good. I look forward to it," he said taking my hand and kissing it. "Adios."


	14. Study Date

_[A/N: So, I got a review in Welsh today. I don't know who you are, but using Goolge Translate, I read it and I wanted to say thank you for the kind words.]_

I walked up to Snape's desk. There sitting on a clip was my name above the lesson plan for today. I read it over. Today they would be practicing using defensive spells against unfriendly attacks. I knew just who I would use for the demo.

Slowly the class piled in and took their usual seats.

"Where's Professor Snape?" Jill asked.

"He's in a meeting. I'm teaching you all by myself today," I said.

"And what will you be teaching us today?" Jill asked.

"If you must know, today you'll defending yourself against unfriendly attacks," I said.

Ginny and Luna smiled.

"So everyone on your feet, Ginny, Luna, if you'll come here," I said.

"Ginny, Luna," I said leaning down to them, "Let's review from the DA shall we and Ginny. . . Be gentle. I'd rather not have to send anyone to the hospital wing the first day that they leave me alone with you."

Ginny nodded and the two girls stood across from each other.

"Observe Ginny and Luna. Ginny is going to use the bat boogey hex on Luna, but Luna will block it," I said. "Whenever you're ready girls."

Ginny and Luna nodded.

"_Bat bogey_!" Ginny shouted.

"_Protego_!" Luna said back and reflected the charm.

Everyone applauded.

"Nice. Where'd you learn to do that?" Natalia asked.

"Learn? I was born with the ability to do that," Ginny said.

"Now all of you partner off until you get it right. I don't want to have to take any of you to the hospital wing so if can't deflect it duck and don't use the bat-bogey hex," I said. "If you do end up hurting each other it means you weren't following directions in which I'm not taking you to the hospital wing because then you won't learn anything."

"Wow. Hardcore much?" Ginny asked. I gave her a wink.

Ginny and Luna coached the whole class on how to repel the hexes and did a rather good job of it.

Class ended no sooner had the whole class gotten the hang of it and they exited all rather impressed with themselves.

After dinner that evening, I was in the library, waiting for Marius for a study date. I admit, I was as giddy as the schoolgirl I was for him to get here.

"Doest my eyes deceive me? Not only has Mister Malfoy taken it upon himself to sit across from me, where he can see me but it appears that he's studying as well," I said. He smirked from behind his book. "I could die from the shock."

"Ha-ha," he said. "I happen to care about my grades Miss Potter."

". . . Okay, tell me the truth now, since I know you're lying," I said. He chuckled.

"Research," he said.

"For what?" I asked.

"Nothing that concerns you," he said in a sing song voice.

"Ah, Draco's keeping secrets now I see," I said. I placed a finger to my lips. "I promise not to tell."

"Well if I tell you it won't be a secret," he said.

"No fair," I said. "Not even a little hint?"

"Not even a minute one," he said.

"Jackass," I said. He smiled.

"You don't mind if I sit here do you?" he asked.

"Actually I do," I said.

"Why is that?" he asked. "I'm just trying to be friendly is all. We are friends aren't we?"

"Sure we can be friends and nothing else," I said.

"Then why can't I sit here?" he asked.

"Because-."

"Hola Hannah."

I smiled. "Hi Marius," I said. "You met Draco, didn't you?"

"Yes, he did," Draco said as Marius took a seat next to me. "So, I hear tell you're taking my _buddy_ Hannah to Hogsmeade next weekend."

"Yes, I am," Marius said.

"Good for you. There's a dozen other guys in the school dying to take her there," Draco said.

"I know. I am very honored to have her company for that evening," he said.

"You should be honored that a goddess like that is even willing to give you the time of day, to even speak to you. There are a billion other people on this planet, all of them probably worthier than you and I and yet here she is, gracing us with her presence and she doesn't even have to," Draco said.

_*Draco Malfoy, I forgot you could talk like that.*_

I unintentionally let out a swoon like sigh and flushed red.

Draco smirk, obviously having gotten his desire reaction out of me, and Marius stared at me confused.

"I mean. . . I mean. . . I need to go get a book, excuse me." I stood from the table and power walked away.

**Draco's POV**

"You're very territorial for her not to be yours anymore," Marius said.

You're very territorial for her not to be yours at all," I retorted.

"That can change," Marius said.

"Please, Hannah'll see right through you," I said. "You act all innocent but you're a complete fraud."

"And do you mean by that muchacho?" he asked.

"Hannah's not interested in the pretty boy know-it-all, you. She's more into the real guys. . . The honest ones," I replied.

"From what I have been told you do not exactly fall under that category either," Marius said.

"So you admit you're faking? Laying it on thick for her like you're perfect or something, trying to reel her in like a moth to a flame only to burn her when she gets too close," I said. "What exactly _are_ your intentions with Hannah?"

"What concern is it of yours?" he asked.

"I love her," I told him shortly. "I'm not going sit around and watch a bastard like you hurt her and if you do, I'm not going to rest until I see that you suffer double."

"Is that a threat?" he asked.

"That's a promise, Mister Drake," I replied coolly. "You may be new to this school but you're going to learn quickly, I run this shit. You see, I always get what I want and if I want Hannah back, I'm going to get her back and this time I'm not going to fuck shit up."

"You think she will fall for this façade of kindness you're putting on?" Marius asked.

"What façade? I may hate and want to wring your skinny little Spanish neck, but I'm going to be nice to you – whether she's watching or not," I said.

**Hannah POV**

I walked behind a book shelf, pulled a random book from the shelf and smacked myself in the face with it.

What was my malfunction? I was swooning over my ex-boyfriend while sitting next to a guy who was currently trying to court me. Was I stupid?

While I had been suspicious of Ron and Hermione putting Draco up to things, I was starting to get the feeling that they were coaching him instead of telling him just what to do. I had to keep in mind that Draco knew me just as well as Harry, Ron, and Hermione did.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself.

_*Get it together, Potter.*_

I walked back over to the table, where Draco and Marius were having a stare down to end all stare downs.

"Found my book!" I said. I looked at the cover. "Uh, _The Fantastic World of Warts_."

_*Great choice, Hannah.*_

_-At least you've done more humiliating things than this.-_

"Anyway, I'll leave you two to your 'study date'," Draco said. "I'll see you in astronomy, Hannah."

"Goodbye," I said. Draco rose from the table, gave a curt glance to Marius and walked away. "Did I miss something?"

"No, not at all," he said. "Interesting boy, Malfoy is."

"Yeah, that's the word for him," I said.

It was Friday night and Harry and I sat with Dumbledore in his office, for the first of our many meetings with him.

"So we're not here to learn anything exactly but to learn something about Voldemort?" Harry asked. Dumbledore nodded. "Hermione owes me a galleon."

"You know I was thinking recently about the prophecy," I said. Dumbledore nodded. "It says, _'the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark them as his equal, but they will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. . .'_"

"That's what it said," Dumbledore said.

"So. . . There are two of us sitting in this office with you right now instead of one and correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds an awful lot like there's only one person who can defeat Voldemort," I said.

"Nothing gets past you, but your grammar is good enough for you to figure out why you are both here," Dumbledore said.

"Right. . . Well. . . It says 'they' and 'them' which can be either singular or plural but then it says 'either' which refers to two and two it refers to is Voldemort and one other person. . . But the fact that is says 'they and 'them'. . . Wait. . . Uh. . . Yep. . . My brain stopped," I said.

Harry shook his head.

"It says 'they' and 'them' and it's being used singular, Hannah. It could've just as easily been about Neville right? But since he marked us both 'as his equal' then it could go either way. The prophecy was, for lack of a better word, 'undecided' because it wasn't talking about anyone in specific," Harry said. "Either both of us or one of us could kill him."

"That makes perfect sense. It explains why Voldemort was always offering to only kill one of us. You're pretty smart. Did you know that?" I asked Harry.

Harry groaned.

"So what'll we be doing here this evening?" Harry asked.

"Looking at the origins of Voldemort through the eyes of someone else," Dumbledore said.

"Pensieve," I said. Dumbledore nodded. "And I'm the smart twin again."

**After the Pensieve**

"So, what happened to that Merope chick?" I asked.

"She survived," Dumbledore said. "Ogden came back later with reinforcements. Morfin and his dad fought back but lost."

"And I'm guessing they both got sent to Azkaban," Harry said.

"Uh-duh!" I said.

"Morfin got three years in Azkaban, and his father Marvolo got six months," Dumbledore said.

"Wait. . . Marvolo?" Harry asked.

"You mean Morfin and Merope's father was Voldemort's grandfather?" I asked.

"I'm glad you two are keeping up," Dumbledore said.

"And that means. . . Merope Gaunt is Voldemort's mother?" I asked.

"And we even saw a glimpse of Voldemort's father. Do you remember?" Dumbledore asked.

". . . The muggle he attacked!" Harry and I answered at the same time.

"I knew he seemed familiar. He looked just Tom Riddle we saw in the chamber of secrets," I said.

"But they got married right?" Harry asked.

"Merope was a witch, remember? Clearly she wasn't any good with a wand but I'm sure there were other ways she could've gotten him," Dumbledore said.

"Amortentia?" I asked.

"I think so as well," Dumbledore said.

". . . Didn't Merope Gaunt die? Voldemort was raised in an orphanage," I said.

"A few months after their marriage Tom returned home without his wife talking about having been tricked by her. Most people guessed that Merope had lied to him saying that she was going to him his baby and that's why they got married," Dumbledore said.

"But she did," Harry said.

"A year after they got married. Tom left while she was still pregnant," Dumbledore said.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"You can maybe use your imagination," Dumbledore said.

"Maybe Merope learned that if you love something you have to let them go. . . Maybe she was tired of holding him against his will even though she loved him," I said.

"You're such a romantic Hannah," Harry said.

"I know," I said.

"Well. . . I guess that's all for now," Dumbledore said.

". . . I was wondering, were we allowed to tell, you know, Hermione and Ron and Kassie?" Harry asked.

"Well they've proven themselves trustworthy but they are not allowed to repeat anything back to anyone else. You understand?" Dumbledore asked.

"You got it," I said.


	15. Deflecting

"It's so nice to not have to participate in the actual flying around involved in Quidditch," I said. "I should shake Lestrange's hand for that back injury."

"It's time like this I realize why you and Ron became friends in the first place," Hermione said. I smiled. "So, my birthday party is supposed to be next Friday night."

"Oh! I love parties," Kaitlin said. "Will there be cake?"

"All the cake you can eat," Hermione promised.

"Score!" she said.

"Ugh, I bet you've invited Draco, haven't you?" I asked.

"Of course I did. He's my friend isn't he?" Hermione asked.

"I think he's a nice guy. He let me borrow a quill once in transfigurations," Kaitlin said.

"Ha. Kaitlin is added to the list of people who approve of Draco," Hermione said. I scoffed.

"No offense, but Kaitlin doesn't count. She's only known Draco for a week," I said.

"If you want my opinion, I don't really like Marius. He's like, too nice you know," Kaitlin said.

"How can you be too nice?" I asked.

"You can be Marius. That's how," Kaitlin said. "Has he ever done or said anything that has ever put you off?"

"No," I said.

"Isn't that weird?" she asked. "Normal people have flaws but he doesn't! It's not normal!"

"I'm sure he has flaws. I just haven't seen them yet," I said.

"Maybe you haven't seen them because he doesn't want you to," Hermione said. "I mean, you didn't tell him you drool in your sleep did you?"

"Ewe? Do you really?" Kaitlin asked.

I rolled my eyes. "So, about your party, Hermione, where's it? Room of Requirement?"

"Actually, we're having in our room," she said.

"How is that even possible if you're inviting Slytherins?" I asked.

"Well, I talked to Professor McGonagall just last night and she told me the most curious thing. Other students from different houses can go into different houses when accompanied by at student from that house. Ain't that nutty?" Hermione asked. "And, with the whole 'unifying Hogwarts' campaign the teachers are currently on, she thought having a mixer birthday party in Gryffindor was actually a wonderful idea, because it would push more people to desegregate houses."

"I hate that woman," I said. "This means I have to hide all the stuff in my room that could even possibly hint that I still care about Draco."

"You mean like the big cardboard box that's labeled 'the Draco Box'?" Kaitlin asked.

"Among other things," I said.

"So, what's going on here? Slytherin and Gryffindor are sharing the pitch?" Kaitlin asked.

"Yep," Hermione asked. "And instead of splitting it in half, Draco and Harry decided to just group 'em all together. Like team work."

"Beaters over there! Keepers over there! Seekers over there! Chasers over there!" Harry shouted.

"Hufflepuff it's not your try-out time! Unless you want to be the first students in the history of forever to get a detention for 'holding up progress' I suggest you get back into the castle and find some other time to gawk at Harry Potter!" Draco shouted.

"I'm here to gawk Hannah! She can come and hex me anytime," one of them shouted.

"Don't talk about my sister like that! I'll kick your ass!" Harry shouted.

"Hey. . . Where's McLaggen. I was sure he would try-out again," Hermione said.

"Keeper," Harry said.

"Against Ron?" I asked. "That ass."

"It bothers me. McLaggen is somewhat of a better flier than Ron. His nerves are better as well," Harry said.

"Harry! That's Ron you're talking about," Hermione said warningly.

"I know! I know! I know! But if Ron doesn't do as well as Cormac I'll have to cut him and play him on the reserve team and I don't want to but I'll have to," Harry said. "Oh, the horror!"

All the chasers went up into the air and did whatever it was their individual captain told them to do. As expected Katie, Ginny, and Alicia made Gryffindor with Dean on our reserve team and Ginny was also picked to be reserve seeker (just in case Harry couldn't play).

Then there were the beaters, Crabbe and Goyle sucked but Draco had no choice since no one else had come out for the team. Jimmy Coote and Ritchie Peekes made the team.

Then there was keeper.

Ron went up to the hoops and Ginny flew up with him, quaffle in hand.

"Moment of truth," Harry said. "Three shots, Ginny!"

Ron nodded and Ginny hurled the quaffle at the hoop. Ron went and blocked it and returned it. Almost immediately she tried again. Ron blocked it as well. The last shot Ginny made Ron barely made and we held our breath as he just barely blocked it. We sighed. If McLaggen blocked all three (which we were sure he would) Harry would simply have to choose who was better.

Ginny repeated the same moves she had before. McLaggen blocked the first two and then the third. He moved but he was to slow and missed it.

Hermione cheered and hugged Ron.

"Ron makes team, McLaggen. . . You're on reserve," Harry said.

"No way man! That last shot Ginny gave Weasley was an easy catch," McLaggen protested.

"Ron barely blocked his last shot," Harry said.

"Bullshit," Cormac said.

"Look, last I checked the captains make the rules. You didn't make the team. Move on," Draco said.

"Don't come over here trying to take up for her bestie because you think it's gonna land you a free pass back into her pants," Cormac said.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Hannah. This is about your inadequate skills as a Quidditch player. Stop trying to deflect your issues off on me. It's unhealthy," Draco said.

I held my laugh back. The last thing I needed was for Hermione to come back and tease me about this later.

"I think you want me to break _your _nose, Malfoy," Cormac said.

"Oh, look. More deflecting," Draco said. "Look, how about you take your insecurities and inadequacies off the pitch. It would be a relief for everyone here and it would be less embarrassing for you."

"I deserve the spot on that team," Cormac said.

"Sadly the universe does not agree with you," Draco went on. "Now, unless you'd like to take up those shots up with Ginny, and I wouldn't because personally I don't like getting hexed, I'd move along."

Cormac turned and leered at me.

"Don't look at me. I didn't make you a sucky Quidditch player," I said.

Cormac walked past us and off the pitch.

"Wow, you did a really great job of lying to Cormac about how you _weren't_ taking up for Ron to get on Hannah's good side," Harry said.

"I wasn't lying. I was deflecting," Draco said. I giggled. "See, I knew I could still make you laugh."

I rolled my eyes but maintained my smile. Why was it _still_ impossible for me to be angry with him.

"Well, my work here is done. I'll see you fine people later," Draco said. "Crabbe, Goyle, let's go."

Draco, walked off the pitch, his two goonies in two.

"For you not to want to be with him anymore, you certainly keep encouraging him," Ron said.

"Yeah, cut it out," Harry said.

The next Friday, my bedroom was clad in periwinkle streamers and balloons. Our beds had magically shrunken down and placed neatly in Parvati's dresser. All of my friends from all different houses were dancing around my room.

I was _trying_ to have a good time, but so far all I could do was watch Draco. Marius wasn't here yet to distract me and even if he were, I doubted it would do me very much good.

"What are you doing?" I looked over and saw Kassia standing next to me. "Hannah Potter is not a wallflower. Hannah Potter is a party girl."

"I don't feel much up to partying today," I said. "I just. . . Why is he here?"

"Because he's really serious about getting you back and has somehow convinced the birthday girl of that also," Kassia said. "But you're with Marius aren't you?"

"Not really. I mean, I do like him a lot obviously, but there's something kind of unnerving about him," I said.

"What?" Kassia asked.

"He's never done anything wrong. He's so perfect and careful and he's never upset me or anyone else and it's unnatural," I said. "I can't get around it."

"I'm sure he'll screw up eventually," Kassia said. "That is, if you really want to go out with him. I mean, you've been staring at Draco this whole time."

"I can't help it," I said. "And he hasn't spoken to me. I feel like I'm being taunted."

"If you were dating him, you wouldn't feel that way," Kassia said. I rolled my eyes.

"You sound like Hermione," I said.

"Oh, look," Kassia said motioning toward the door. Marius had entered the room. He saw me and waved. I waved back. "I'll leave you to charm him then."

I rolled my eyes as she walked off. Marius reached me and smiled.

"So this is your room. It is much different from Ravenclaw," he said.

"If you think this is swanky, you should see Slytherin," I said.

"Swanky?" he asked.

"Uh. . . Never mind," I said. "Want something to drink? We've got like butterbeer and firewhiskey and soda and water and whatever."

"Water will be fine. I'm, uh, what did they call it, 'straight edge'," he said.

"Oh, you don't drink, like at all," I said. He shook his head. "Alright then. I'll be right back."

I walk over to the refreshment table and picked up a bottle of water.

"Hello, stranger," Draco said popping up next to me. "Thirsty?"

"No, I was just getting Marius some water," I said.

"Hey, Malfoy gave my your man ring," Parvati said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because we need it for a game we're gonna play in a few minutes and Hermione said she'll punch you in the face if you don't," Parvati said.

"What game?" I asked.

"A fun one," Parvati said. "Don't worry about it. I've already got something of yours."

"What?" I asked.

"You'll see in about 15 minutes," Parvati said. She skipped off.

'Should I be worried?" Draco asked.

"Always," I replied with a nod.


	16. Seven Minutes in Hell

"Seven minutes in heaven? Really? Are we 12 or something?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure the last time you came up with the idea of playing this game was after you finished reading 'Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret'," Harry pointed out.

Parvati stuck her tongue out at Harry. "We would even be doing this if Hermione hadn't approved it."

I looked over to her and she winked at me. Plotting. Next to her, Draco looked a bit put off by the game. Clearly he wasn't in on whatever plan she was up to.

"Alright, birthday girl, you get to pick the first group," Parvati said tossing Hermione two bags.

Hermione reached into the little green bag and removed Draco's ring.

"Looks like Draco's in the closet first," she said to him with a smile.

"Go on. We'll have your buddy in there in a second," Parvati said tying a blindfold around his eyes. She shoved him into the closet and then gave me a wink.

"Why do I get the uncomfortable feeling that you're about to end up in there?" Harry whispered to me.

"The same reason I'm getting the urge to punch Hermione," I whispered back.

Hermione reached into a little black bag and pulled out my old charm bracelet that Draco had given me back in fourth year after we'd been going out for a month. I'd warn it every day until the day we broke up.

"Hannah," Hermione said. I got to my feet, walked over to her, took my bracelet and inconspicuously punched her in the arm. She winced but giggled. I walked into the closet and closed the door.

"Seven minutes starts now," Parvati said.

I took a deep breath.

"Let me guess – Hannah," Draco said.

I pulled his blindfold off. "Shocking isn't it?"

"I had nothing to do with this," he said.

"For once I actually believe you," I said. "Here you can have this."

I put my bracelet in his hand.

"I don't want this," he said. "I gave you this."

"And I'm giving it back. This is a girlfriend bracelet and I'm not your girlfriend anymore," I said.

"No givesies-backsies," he said. "I may not be able to see you, but I get the feeling that you just rolled your eyes."

"You know me so well," I said.

"I do know you so well," he said. "I know you better than a lot of people know you. People like, Marius Drake for example."

"For your information, I like Marius," I said. "He's better for me than you are."

"I don't think so," Draco said. "When I talked to him in the library last week it didn't seem like his intentions with you were entirely innocent."

"No boy's intentions with any girl are entirely innocent when you're weren't when you were 15," I said.

"Yeah, but the difference between me and him is that I think he'd be one to push past your boundaries and I wouldn't dare do that," Draco said.

"I don't know what gave you that impression. He's been nothing but a perfect gentleman," I said. "You only dislike him because you like me."

Draco scoffed. "I don't like you. I love you and I find it very irritating that you keep saying that."

"Well I find it very irritating that you keep trying to get back together with me even though I said I didn't want to," I said.

"When you can stand there and honestly tell me that you feel nothing at all for me and that you would truly be happier with Drake than with me then I'll leave you alone," Draco said.

I huffed and looked away from him. The Hannah who couldn't tell a lie was back and for the worst.

"It took me crying of three months, you breaking my brother's nose, and talking to some other guy for you to even finally step up to the plate and stop acting like an idiot. Why should I have to go to such extraordinary lengths to actually make an impact in your brain? You're not worth the trouble," I said. "I don't want to have to break up with you or threaten to break up with you just so you can see what an ass you're being. I want to be with a guy who immediately gets it and that's the end of it."

"Fine," Draco said. "Forget about me. Just. . . Not him. Not Drake."

"I don't need your approval," I said.

"I'm not saying you do. But Marius Drake is a bad egg," Draco said. "No one on the planet is like he is. He is sneaky Hannah. He's up to something and I don't want you getting hurt because at the end of the day your happiness, whether you're with me or not, is all that matters."

He reached up and ran his fingers gently over my cheek.

"I don't think I could let you go if I wanted to – but for me to able to start, to even try to, I'd have to know you're not about make a worse decision than being with me," Draco said.

Why did he always have to talk like that? He could be the most irritating, most infuriating man on the whole planet and then suddenly say things that turned my insides into mush. I wanted very much to not be trapped inside of a small dark closet. I'd been inside of small dark closets with him before and we always ended up doing more than just talking.

"Stay on your side of the closet," I said pushing his hand away.

"Have I made you uncomfortable?" he asked. "Or are you feeling _too_ comfortable?"

"Prat," I said.

"I'll take that as a yes," Draco said. "But it's fine. I'll stay over here as away from you as I can be."

"Hasn't it been seven minutes yet?" I asked.

"I'm assuming it's been more like something along the lines of three minutes," he said. I groaned.

I pulled out my wand. _"Lumos."_

I was temporarily blinded as my eyes adjusted to the light.

"Like to see people when you talk to them?" Draco asked.

"Preferably," I said.

Draco's eyes went every which was around the closet. "The five of you share this?"

"Yep. Mostly Parvati keeps her things in here," I said.

"What's this?" Draco asked. I shined the light into his corner of the closet to reveal nothing other than the Draco Box.

"Fuck my life," I muttered to myself.

"What's in here?" Draco asked opening it up. "It's like. . . Everything I ever gave you. . . You kept everything. You even kept things I would expect you to have gotten rid of when we were together."

"Don't read into it," I said.

"How can I not?" he asked. "I mean, I've grossly underestimated how much you still care about me. I mean otherwise you would've gotten rid of all this stuff."

"I was going to the day we got back here," I said. "You know, after you told me you wished you'd never fallen in love with me in the first place?"

"Looks like I find more ways to make myself look more like an ass everyday," Draco said.

"You're allowed to be an ass," I said. "I just won't date you."

"But if I stop being an ass-."

"I still won't date you because you should stop being one just because it's a good thing to do and not because you want me back," I said.

Draco sighed. "I know I don't deserve you Hannah. I'm just trying to figure out what I did in the first place to make you think that I did. I feel like if I can recreate that feeling in you then somehow I might be able to find a way of making myself worthy of you."

I knew exactly what I had liked about Draco in the first place, going all the way back to third year when I would never in a million years have admitted to liking him. As far as his feelings went, he put on a front for everyone. But not for me. If he was feeling blue or if his heart was broken or if he was as giddy as a school girl he would tell me.

It wasn't the fact that he was honest, it was the fact that he reserved that kind of honesty for me.

_-Say something. You're staring.-_

_*Say what?*_

_-Well don't just stare at him, do something.-_

I stepped over to Draco and kissed him. Much to my chagrin (or not) it was just as amazing as it always was.

I broke away from him and shook my head.

"No. . . No, this isn't right," I said.

_*It's so right it's wrong is what it is.*_

"It doesn't feel wrong," Draco said.

"Stop talking. This is hard enough without you actually saying aloud everything I'm thinking," I said.

_-Probably shouldn't have told him that.-_

"Look, this never happened," I said.

Draco nodded. "You're the boss, Hannah."

"Times up!" Hermione shouted. The closet door swung open. "Wow."

All she could probably see was me leering at Draco and him looking a bit frightened.

"Pick the next two," she said. She held up one bag for me. I reached in and pulled out headband.

"Ginny!" Hermione said holding up the other bag for Draco. He reached in and pulled out another ring. "And Harry. Into the closet with you."

I stepped out as Harry and Ginny walked past me. I leered at Hermione.

"How was it?" she asked.

"I was locked in a closet for seven minutes. How do you think it was?"

**Ginny POV**

"It's dark," Harry said.

"It's a closet," I said. I pulled out my wand. _"Lumos."_

"I should've thought of that," Harry said.

"Probably," I said. I looked around the closet. "Oh! Wooden crates." I pushed them out and sat down on one. "They don't make the best chairs but they work."

"If you're sitting in a dark closet I guess," Harry said.

I nodded with a sigh. It was quiet. Awkward quiet.

"So, are you gonna go out with Natalia?" I asked.

Harry looked over at me.

"Why?" he asked. I shrugged.

"Just curious," I said.

"Well, probably not. She's. . . She's trying too hard to get me to like her instead of just being herself," Harry said.

What a relief. The last thing I needed to worry about was Natalia dating Harry. That simply would not do.

"I don't understand why girls so commonly pretend to be something they're not," I said.

"I don't think you have," Harry said quite suddenly.

"How do you figure?" I asked. Harry shrugged.

"It's just every time I see you, you're Ginny. You don't give a damn what people think about you, to a certain extent, you're yourself and you're completely individual and that's rare," Harry said.

I smiled. "Thanks. I don't think anyone has ever told me I'm individual."

"Well you are," Harry said. "What you should do though is stop wasting your time on those useless guys."

_*Don't I know it.*_

"Well I can't do much better can I? I mean, I'm me. I can't set my standards very high," I said.

"Not true. You can set them as high as you like. You deserve it," Harry said.

"Harry-."

"Ginny," Harry began, "you are one of the brightest people I know, not only academically but you just know stuff about everything, about life, and friends. You're even good at sports. You just like live it and breathe but don't let it consume your life. You're fun to be around. You're not greedy. And you're not self-centered or vain and you have every right to be. I mean look at you, you're gorgeous."

I giggled. "I'm gorgeous?"

"I. . . I mean. . . Boy that sounded way better in my head," Harry said.

"Harry Potter, are you blushing?" I asked.

"That depends are you?" he said looking over to me.

I giggled again. "No."

"You're a Weasley. You can't lie about blushing," Harry said.

"You caught me," I said. My wand slipped from my hand and fell onto the crate. I reached to pick it up, as did Harry.

I didn't let go of his hand. My mind was screaming "let him go" but my body wasn't listening. I lifted my head slowly, afraid of what his eyes would do to me. I looked into them. I couldn't tear my eyes away from his, I couldn't blink or move, I was paralyzed.

I could feel my hand hold on to his tighter and pull him nearer. What was I doing? I couldn't stop myself. Soon Harry's lips were to mine. I wasn't breathing, I wasn't thinking, I was just doing.

When I was finally able to get control over my body I broke away. I stared at him for a moment and then rose to my feet and walked the three steps to the end of the closet.

"Uhm. . . Uh. . . Uh. . . I. . . Uh. . ." I couldn't find any words. After him blabbing on about how smart I was I couldn't even articulate a whole sentence. I felt like I was living out a childhood fantasy – snogging Harry Potter in a closet. This was crazy. It couldn't be real.

"That was um. . ." Harry didn't seem to be doing much better, though he formed more real words than I had.

"Uh. . ." I started to laugh. My nervous reflex was kicking in now. Fantastic. "I don't know what to say. I mean."

"Part of my brain was just. . ."

"Not thinking," we said at the same time.

"Yeah um, that was um. . ."

"Grounds for your brother to kick my ass," Harry laughed.

"Yeah and it was uhm, you know, like um. . . Boy, this is. . . Awkward as hell," I said.

"Yeah," Harry said. "That's how you can pretty much describe this."

"Yeah, I mean, we were probably just caught up in the uh, the heat of the moment is all you going on about how fabulous I was and I was taken aback by it I mean," I said.

"Yeah. . ." Harry said.

The awkward babbling ended. I stared down at my feet.

"So. . . Now what?" I asked.

"Obviously we can't tell anyone," Harry said.

I hid my disappointment with a nod. It hadn't been the answer I was hoping for. I had been wishing for something more along the lines of him confessing his undying love for me, slamming me against a wall and snogging me passionately. I should have known better to expect something like that from awkward, terrified of girls, Harry Potter though.

"Especially with Hannah and Ron," he said.

"Especially them," I said.

Here I was, trapped in a closet after kissing him. I really hadn't meant to kiss him it just. . . happened.

R. Kelly should write a song about my life.

"And we pretend like it never happened?" I asked.

"It's for the best, right? Unless there's some reason you think we _should_ tell people," Harry said.

_*Only because I'm absolutely crazy about you. Nothing really important.*_

"No, you're right," I said. "I'll take this incident to the grave."


	17. Novia

_[A/N: To the Zelda fan who thought she was being rude – your enthusiasm is refreshing This chapter is for you.]_

The next day was the Hogsmeade trip.

I woke up and laid in my bed for a moment contemplating what the day was going to bring.

I glanced over to Hermione who was just waking up. She stared at me for a moment, confused.

"You're not a banana," she said.

". . . No. . . 'Fraid not," I said.

"Must be time for me to get up then," she said swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"A banana?" I asked.

"Don't wanna talk about it," Hermione said. "Transfiguration gone horribly wrong."

"Oh. . ." I said. I'd hate to be inside of her head.

"So," Hermione began, "you excited about your date with Marius?"

I shrugged. "I guess."

"Oh, please, Hannah. Your first date with Draco, the one in January for your anniversary after the Yule Ball you would not shut up about it," Hermione said.

"Well that was my anniversary with Draco and this is. . . A first date with a boy that could potentially be my new boyfriend," I said.

"You never told me what you and Draco talked about in the closet yesterday," Hermione said.

"I don't intend to," I said.

She shrugged. "I'll just ask Draco."

"He won't tell you. I told him not to and regardless of the fact that you're scheming together he still listens to me more than he does you," I said.

Hermione scoffed. "He told me you kissed him."

"What? I'm going to kick his ass," I said.

"Actually he didn't tell me anything," she said. "Damn, you're easy."

"Guess I'll just have to kick your ass instead," I said.

"AHH!" Emily sat up in her bed screaming in a cold sweat. Hermione and I looked over to her.

"What is it?" Parvati asked sitting up in bed as well.

"Oh it was horrible! The brides maids gowns were hideous and they were eating you and the wedding cake was throwing knives at people and Fred's tuxedo had taken over Dumbledore's body and he was killing people with piano wire and Harry was sitting in the back ground playing American Pie. . . I don't know what that was about but, dude that nightmare was just so. . . Scary," Emily said. "That can't really happen can it?"

"If I were still a muggle I'd say no," Hermione said.

"I have to tell Fred to cancel that band. They have a piano and guitars," Emily said.

"Well who'll do music at your wedding then?" I asked.

Emily shrugged. "We'll find someone."

"I know! I know!" Parvati said. "Kaitlin can sing. She can sing at your wedding!"

Emily gasped and her face lit up with joy. "I wonder if she'll do it!"

Emily climbed out of bed and jumped onto Kaitlin's bed where she was still sleeping.

"Katie! Katie! Katie! Get up! I have a favor!" Emily said.

"I have a favor to ask of you too. How about you let me finish sleeping?" she asked.

"Absolutely not. Not on Hogsmeade day," Emily said.

Kaitlin sat up and stretched. "What?"

"Sing at my wedding," Emily said.

Kaitlin's eyes narrowed on her. "You woke me up for _that_? Seriously?"

"Uh, yeah," Emily said.

Kaitlin sighed. "Alright."

"Yay! You're my hero! And Fred'll be here today and I'll be able to tell him!" Emily said hugging her.

"Yeah, I know," Kaitlin said getting out of her grasp and climbing out of bed, walking into the bathroom.

"So. . . Hannah, you have a date today right?" Parvati asked. I nodded.

"It's so cool to see you're over Malfoy," Emily said.

"I'm shocked you managed to stay his friend after he lied," Parvati said.

"Actually Draco and I are cool now," Hermione said.

"Too little, too late," Parvati said. "You wouldn't take him back would you?"

"No Parvati. I'd never go back out with Draco," I said.

"Good. Now, what are you wearing out with Marius today?" she asked.

"Jeans and a nice shirt," I said.

"Your first date with a guy and you're wearing jeans? Since when do you do that Hannah?" Parvati asked.

"Uh. . ."

"When you went out with Seamus did you wear jeans?" Parvati asked.

"Uhm. . . No," I said.

"And Malfoy?" Parvati asked.

". . . No," I said.

"And Marius, the hottest guy you've gone out with by far get's jeans because?" Parvati asked.

"Uh, I got smart and learned that's it's not always warm in September?" I asked.

"Wrong answer," Parvati said. She went to my dresser and started looking through my clothes.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I asked.

"Hannah Potter you are not socially adept at anything," Parvati asked.

"Thank you for pointing that out Miss Patil but I am old enough to pick out my own clothes," I said.

Parvati turned to me and laughed.

"Okay," she said and went back through my dresser. "Dude, who taught you how to pick out clothes?"

"Dumbledore," I said.

"That would explain your pajamas," Parvati said.

"Hey! I love these pink monkey pajamas," I said.

There were monkeys on my pajamas with banana's in their hands while they surfed and the back ground was pink. I'd gotten them for Christmas fourth year and I still loved them.

"They're fantastic if you're five years old," Parvati said. She pulled a green shirt from my dresser and tossed it to me and then went over to her dresser. She looked through her dresser. She pulled out a black skirt and tossed it to me.

"Tah-da. Now you'll look 16," Parvati said.

"Parvati. . . I want to be a potions master, not a stripper," I said. "This. . . This is ridiculous."

"What do you mean?" Parvati asked. "I wear that skirt all the time."

"All the more reason," I said.

"You'll be fine," Parvati said.

"Here," Hermione said pulling out a pair of black leggings from her dresser.

"Thank you," I said.

After I got dressed I walked down into the common where Harry and Ginny sat on the couch.

"Morning" I said to them. They looked back at me.

"Good morning Hannah," Ginny said. "Come and sit with us."

I walked over to the couch and sat down.

"So you're going on your date with Marius today aren't you?" Ginny asked. I nodded. "Wow. Hope you have fun."

"What are you guys doing today?" I asked.

"Hanging out with Kaitlin and Neville today. Ron and Hermione said they needed some 'together time'. I decided to just go with it because I don't want to know that they mean by that," Harry said.

The three of us walked downstairs to breakfast where Neville was sitting by himself eating. We sat with him.

"Good to see you this morning, Neville," I said.

"Nice to see you Hannah," Neville said. "Luna was looking for you earlier Ginny."

"Was she really?" Ginny asked.

Neville nodded. "She said she feels like she let you borrow a quill during class and you never gave it back it or something like that."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"This whole thing would be settled if you just talked to them like you said you would," Harry said.

"I know but I don't even think Luna wants to talk to me anymore," Ginny said. "I've been thinking really hard and maybe I did something wrong."

"Ginny, you didn't do anything wrong. I promise you," I said.

"Yeah I hope so," Ginny said.

"Cheer up, Gin. I hear Tonks is supposed to be in Hogsmeade today," Harry said.

"She's in her own bad mood. I doubt she'll be able to get me out of mine," Ginny pointed out.

888

"So, this is Hogsmeade," I said when we had reached the village.

"It's very. . . Quaint," he said.

"That's one way to put it," I said.

"So what do you usually do here?" Marius asked.

"Uh. . . Nothing usually. . . We just hang out," I said.

"Well what's here?" Marius asked.

"Well there's Zonko's Jokeshop, Honeyduke's Sweetshop, Madame Puddifoot's Cafe, and then there's the Shrieking Shack which is the most haunted building in Britain, The Hogshead Inn, and then lastly there's the Three Broomsticks which is Madame Rosmerta's pub. That's where we usually hang out."

"Well let's go somewhere new like. . . Madame Puddifoot's," Marius said.

"Actually, I went there with Harry and Cho and Draco for Valentine's Day. Suffice it to say it was not a good experience," I said.

"What do you mean?" Marius asked.

"Well let's just say our double date ended with Harry covered in coffee and Cho storming out of the cafe," I said.

"Oh," Marius said.

"Yeah. It wasn't much fun," I said.

"The Three Broomsticks fine then?" Marius asked.

"Sure," I said.

As we walked to the pub I saw a familiar blonde, a woman with black hair and a woman with mousy brown hair.

"Marius, wait, I want you to meet some people," I said.

I pulled him over to the women.

"I promised you a visit so here I am," I said.

Tonks, Veronica and Dana all turned and smiled at me.

"Wotcher, Hannah," Tonks said as she always did. Her hair was still limp and pale, as was the rest of her. Clearly what ever issue she had been dealing with all summer hadn't been dealt with yet.

"Hannah! Hello," Veronica said.

"Wow you look more like Lily than the last time I saw you," Dana said. "You've been good I expect."

"Yes. Haven't gotten detention yet, as far as house points go I'm losing less than usual," I said.

"And who might this be?" Tonks asked.

"This my 'friend' Marius Drake," I said. "Marius this is Dana, Emily's mother, Veronica, Danielle's aunt, and this is Tonks. She's. . . Well I guess for lack of a better term she's my non-biological mother."

I went on to tell them all about Marius – how he wanted to be a magizoologist, how he was from Spain, about his sister, the whole shebang. Overall, he received a better reception than Draco did when I first even brought him up as my friend.

"You know, I don't think I ever had an actual first date with Sirius," Veronica said thoughtfully. "We were too busy with. . . Well, with other things."

"Right," Dana chuckled.

"Anyway, Remus is supposed to check in sometime next week. Should I-."

"No. He'll get his report at the end of the year, just like I told him. And Sirius too," I said. "But we're gonna go in the mean time."

"It was nice meeting you Marius," Dana said.

Marius took my hand and led me to the Three Broomsticks where I got a butterbeer and Marius got a non-alcoholic butterbeer.

"So, who is Remus?" he asked.

"Oh, he's her roommate but he's known me since I was little. One of my parents best friends. He's been like a father to me since I met him when he was teaching here," I said

"He used to teach here?" Marius asked.

"Yeah, in third year actually. He was our defense against the dark arts teacher, and most Gryffindors will fight to prove he's the best teacher we ever had," I said.

"Well why doesn't he teach here anymore?" Marius asked.

"Oh, um. . . He quit," I said.

"Why?" Marius asked.

"Well he's a werewolf and when one of the teachers actually told that he was, rather than go through the whole torch and pitchforks ordeal with the parents he quit," I said.

"Well werewolves are dangerous," Marius said.

"Lupin isn't. He took his wolfsbane potion faithfully every month. He would never do anything that put anyone in that castle in danger and he never did," I said. "People always go about judging him before they know him and he just sits there and he takes it and he sucks it up and he deals with everyone's bullshit and he shouldn't have to."

"But you intend to do something about that right?" Marius asked. "You wanted to invent a more permanent cure for the wolfsbane potion right?"

I smiled and nodded. "Right. It's all because of him that I want to."

"That's a very noble thing, Hannah," he said. "I would be lucky to have a novia like you."

"Novia?" I asked.

"Uh. . . Novia. It means. . . How you say. . . Girlfriend," he said.

"Oh, girlfriend," I said.

"Would you. . . Like to be my novia?" he asked.

I giggled stupidly. "Yeah. I would."


	18. Draco Malfoy's Future

"So, you gonna start doing your homework or are you gonna miss the _next_ Hogsmeade trip too?" I asked. "Hermione told me you missed a bunch of class too."

It was Monday afternoon and Draco and I were in the library doing research for an astronomy project during his free period.

Draco rolled his eyes and let out a small chuckle.

"Don't you worry about my social life, Hannah. I will be okay, with or without my Hogsmeade trip," Draco said.

"That attitude has me a bit worried," I said.

"Worried? Elaborate," Draco said.

"You're not usually this careless when it comes down to school. You usually actually put effort into passing," I said.

"Well. . . I don't really care anymore. . . I don't even think I'm gonna finish school next year," Draco said. I gasped.

"How can you even say that?" I asked. "Don't be stupid."

"I just don't know. . . I don't really see school getting me where I wanna go," Draco said.

"Which is where? Rosemertta's pub? The Leaky Cauldron? Maybe you want to be conductor of the Knight Bus? Is that it?" I asked.

"It's a secret," Draco said.

"You're all secrets now days," I said.

"I'd tell them to you but you've got a new boy friend. He can tell you his secrets and I'll keep mine to myself," Draco said.

"You're really going to leave?" I asked. Draco shrugged. "Don't leave. I'll miss you."

"You'll miss me if I leave?" Draco asked. I nodded.

"I still like hanging out with you. . . I need to hang out with you. You keep me sane," I said.

"I keep you sane?" Draco asked.

"Yes when you're not relentlessly asking me out," I said.

"So, won't your boy friend be mad if he finds out you'll miss me?" Draco asked.

"Why would he be?" I asked. "I mean you and I are just friends. Is it wrong to miss your friends when they go away?"

"Yes, but we weren't always just friends and I'm pretty sure that's what will bother him," Draco said.

"It didn't bother you when I hung out with Seamus," I said.

"He is not me," Draco said. "I promise, now that he's your boyfriend or whatever he's gonna show his true colors."

"Well maybe that's a good thing. I mean didn't see yours until I was too fed up with you to care. Especially considering you were an asshole," I said.

"Wow, I walked right into that one," Draco said.

"Look, I've got to go my DADA class and you've got potions so, let's go our separate ways and I'll see you back here at eleven," I said.

"The library closes at eleven," Draco said.

"Not if you're a teacher," I said.

888

I walked into Snape's classroom and saw a note lying on his desk.

_Order business. Take over._

_-Snape_

I sighed. "All by myself again."

I picked up his lesson plan and read over it as the class entered. I saw Ginny sit down and immediately I noticed she was looking less than her best. I walked over to her.

"Ginny, you feeling okay?" I asked.

"I'll be fine," she said weakly. She was pale.

"Ginny please go to the hospital wing. You don't look very well," I said. Ginny shook her head.

"I'll go after class. I messed up on that last assignment and it brought my grade down a fair bit. I have to do this one perfect to make-up for it and I can't afford to have missing work," Ginny said.

"Ginny it-."

"I'll go after class. I promise," Ginny said.

I sighed. "Fine, Ginny. But right after class I'm walking you straight up to Madame Pomfrey."

She nodded.

The classroom door closed as I went to write the lesson on the chalk board. I still wasn't allowed to use chalk technically, but no one was here to reprimand me, and besides, I wasn't really going to eat it.

Class got started and ran very smoothly. They were mostly doing bookwork and didn't ask many questions.

There were twenty minutes left in class when I started writing the homework on the board.

"Hey, Hannah," Luna called out.

I walked over to her.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's Ginny. . . She doesn't look so good," she said.

Ginny indeed was looking frightfully ill.

"Okay, you've got to go to the hospital wing, right now," I said.

Just then, Ginny's eyes fluttered and rolled into the back of her. She fell from her stool to the ground. Colin and I dove to the ground after her. The class began to panic and freak out almost immediately.

"Class is dismissed!" I said. I touched Ginny's forehead. "Merlin's beard, she's hot as an iron."

Everyone gathered up their things and began to leave.

"Natalia go down to Slughorn's potion's class and get her brother," I said. She looked at me confused. "Natalia go!"

"Oh my god you're useless. I'll go," Colin said and he sped out of the room.

I pointed my wand at Ginny, "Ennervate."

Ginny's eyes opened back up.

"Come, on get up," I said. "Natalia, Luna go on your way to your next class."

Natalia had no problem with this as she had already packed all her things away.

"No. I wanna stay with Ginny," Luna said. She helped Ginny to her feet.

"Alright. Natalia, go to the Great Hall," I said. After looking panic stricken for a moment she left.

Luna and I walked Ginny upstairs to the Hospital wing.

"What's wrong with her?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

"She's sick. She burning up. She passed out in the middle of class," I said.

We got Ginny onto a bed where she laid down and Madame Pomfrey stuck a thermometer into her mouth. A minute or so later she took it from her mouth.

"Oh dear," she said.

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"She's got a quite a fever. . . 107 degrees. . . Oh dear. You two out, now," she said. Madame Pomfrey shooed us out and closed the door to the hospital wing. Luna collapased to the floor. I sat next to her.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"No. . . My best friend just collapsed. How would you be?" Luna asked. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

I shrugged. "I've never seen someone that sick before."

"Hannah," Ron called as he ran down the hall to me. "What happened?"

"She fainted in the middle of class. She's got a fever of 107. That's all we found out before Madame Pomfrey threw us out," Luna said. "You're her brother, she'll probably let you in."

Ron walked into the hospital.

After a while the bell rang and classes ended.

Harry and Hermione showed up soon after.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"She collapsed in the middle of class," I said.

"Is she alright?" Harry asked.

"We don't know," Luna said.

The door opened.

"She'll be fine. She's just caught the flu is all," Ron said.

"Thank goodness," Luna said jumping to her feet. She walked into the hospital wing where Ginny was looking less pale than she had earlier.

Luna walked over to her and Ginny sat up. Luna said something, Ginny nodded, smiled and said something back. They both laughed and Luna sat down where they continued their conversation.

"Finally!" Hermione said. "I was gonna end up talking to Luna myself if they didn't make up soon."

"Now she won't complain about Natalia anymore," I said.

"Shuzzah," Ron said. He looked into the hospital. "I was gonna stay up here and keep Ginny company but it looks like Luna has everything under control."

"We'd better get to class then," Hermione said.

"And I'm sure you've got loads to study," Harry said.

"As always," I said.

888

I knocked on the door to Dumbledore's office.

"Come in," he said.

I opened the door. "Hello, stranger. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, yes, come in," he said.

I walked into the room and sat down at his desk.

"So, I heard you handled a bad situation in your defense against the dark arts class quite well today," Dumbledore said.

"Oh, that was nothing. I mean, it would've been better if I'd made her go to the hospital wing when I first noticed she was sick. I had to wait until she passed out," I said.

Dumbledore shook his head. "We all make mistakes. You handled yours quite well though. I am impressed."

I smiled. "Thanks. That means a bunch coming from you, Dumbledore."

"Well, you're only doing such an amazing job because I raised you so well," he said.

"What is this? Dumbledore being smug?" I asked, with a chuckle. "So, when I make mistakes it's all because I don't listen but when I do something brilliant it's all because of your amazing parenting skills?"

"I think it's better that way don't you?" he asked. I laughed. "So, aside from your stellar teaching abilities, how has the rest of your work been going?"

"Stupendous. I mean, I'm going to be totally fried by the time I take my sixth year exams in November, but it's going well," I said.

"And your life outside of academics?" Dumbledore asked.

"You mean Draco?" I asked.

"I'm just checking to see how you're doing," he said.

"Well I'm fine. I happen to be over Draco Malfoy. I have moved on. I am no longer concerned about him," I said.

"And you're sure that's what you want?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. Why is everyone jumping on the Draco bandwagon these days?" I asked.

"His behavior this year has been. . . Odd," he said.

"Yeah it has," I said, "I've asked him about it but he's not telling me. He's very secretive about something. Whatever it is keeping him out of class too which is weird because he's not the kind of person who cuts class. Not only that but between you and me he was talking about not coming back next year. Said something about school not getting him where he wanted to go."

"And why would he say that?" Dumbledore asked.

I shrugged. "Search me. He never really talked about what he wanted to do after he got out of Hogwarts. That hasn't changed." Dumbledore nodded. "Is there reason for me to be concerned about him or something?"

"Why do you say that?" Dumbledore asked.

"It's just that you seemed concerned about him," I said. "You don't think he's in any trouble is he?"

"That remains to be seen. It would be wonderful if you could keep an eye on him. After all he's been through this summer I don't doubt that he's going through a rough time. He could use a friend," he said.


	19. Control Freak

_[A/N: Can I just say that I love Anti-Marius you all are? Every time I see how serious your hatred toward him is (some of you going so far as to wish death upon him) I giggle. This chapter is for the Marius haters.]_

"Are you done yet?" Draco whined as we sat in the library waiting for class to start.

"I've sat here and written near half of this paper all by me onsey and all you've done is complain," I said.

"I'm sorry your highness. Hand me the paper," Draco said. I scooted it over to him. He picked up his quill and began to write. "So, how've you and your boy friend been?"

"Why can't you just call him Marius?" I asked.

"I will not dignify that boy by saying his name," Draco scoffed.

"Oh, come on. You're being such a baby," I said. "You're my friend aren't you?"

"Of course," Draco said.

"Then why can't you be happy for me?" I asked.

"I am happy for you. I'm happy as long as you're happy because it makes me happy that you're happy. But I don't like this Drake character," Draco said.

I rolled my eyes. "Why?"

"Well the first reason should be obvious, he's dating you," Draco said.

"Obviously," I said.

"Secondly, I don't think he's good enough for you," Draco said.

"That's because you're comparing him to yourself and you think you're perfect," I said.

"You used to think so too," Draco said.

"Don't start," I said.

"I'm not starting anything. I'm just saying. You used to think I was perfect as well," Draco said.

"That was before I found out you were a liar," I said.

"I don't lie anymore," Draco said.

"That's fantastic for you," I said. Draco put his quill down.

"What just happened?" Draco asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You and me. Two seconds ago we were getting on well and now, here we are, bickering," Draco said.

"It happens," I said.

There was a large awkward silence for a moment.

"So. . . I was thinking about what you said in class earlier and I might want to stay," Draco said.

"That makes me feel a lot better. Honestly. It would break my heart if you dropped out of school," I said.

"Well like I said," Draco began. He reached out and held my hand, "I'm a changed man. I won't break your heart anymore."

He held my hand, the way he always used to.

I quickly pulled my hand away.

". . . Please don't do that anymore," I said.

"Sorry," Draco said.

The atmosphere was now even more awkward than it had been before.

"I can finish this paper on my own if you like," Draco said.

"No. . . It's fine. I need to make sure you didn't make any mistakes anyway," I said.

"You act like I'm incapable of writing a decent paper," Draco said.

"Not as capable as I am," I said.

"Whatever. I am just as smart as you," Draco said

"What evidence do you have to back up that statement?" I asked.

"For example I never dated an idiot an you are dating an idiot," Draco said.

"So I guess you never actually going out with Parkinson?" I asked.

"Touché," he said. He wrote a few last sentences on the paper. "All finished."

"Lemme see," I said. I took the paper and read it over. "Well, well, well, you're not as dumb as I made you out to be."

"You and you're constantly under estimating me," Draco said.

"I apologize," I said rolling up our parchment.

"Why did it have to be so long?" Draco asked.

"Because I am an over achiever," I said.

"I'd forgotten," Draco said.

I stuffed the paper into my bag.

"So. . . Are you okay?" I asked.

"What d you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, you're alright aren't you? I mean, I can't imagine the kind of summer you've had and the cutting the classes and not doing work and all the secrets and weird research you're doing and the talk of not coming back to school. It has me worried. It has a lot of people worried," I said.

"I'm fine," Draco said. I shook my head.

"You're lying to me. I thought you said you'd stop that," I said. Draco chuckled. "It's not funny. I'm worried about you. You haven't done anything stupid have you?"

"Stupid like what?" Draco asked.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about what you're doing anymore which I guess is justified in me not being your girlfriend anymore so it's not really my place to know is it?" I asked. "But I can't help but notice you're acting oddly and as your friend it's my place to be concerned."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," Draco said. "My problems are pretty insignificant compared to a dark wizard trying to kill you."

"You promise you're fine? You can tell me anything still – you know that?" I asked. "I still tell you everything."

"I know," Draco said taking a deep breath. "There's nothing to tell. We should go to class."

He was keeping something from me – something serious. Apparently I did have reason to be concerned.

888

"What'd Hagrid show you today in class?" I asked Marius.

"Unicorns," he said flatly.

"I love unicorns. Such majestic creatures," I said.

"Sure," Marius said, again, flatly.

"Are you okay? You've been acting funky all week," I said.

"I'm fine. Are you fine?" he asked.

"Never better," I said. "What's the problem?"

"What do you talk to him about?" Marius asked.

"Who?" I asked.

"You know damn well, who," Marius said.

"Okay, attitude. Can you lower your voice? Some of the people in Ravenclaw like to eaves drop," I said. "And I'm assuming by _him_ you mean Draco. We talk about whatever arises – just like my other friends."

"Your other friends aren't your ex-boyfriend," he said.

Score one point for Draco – Marius was getting jealous.

_*Well, at least Kaitlin will accept that he's an actual human being now.*_

"I don't like you hanging out with him," he said.

"We have the same friends. The only class I'm taking this year is with him. I supervise his potions tutoring. I'm going to see him," I said.

"Then just don't spend time with him unnecessarily," Marius said.

"So you mean don't talk to him outside of my academics then?" I asked. "That's completely unfair of you to ask."

"How is it?" Marius asked.

"Because he's my friend. He was my friend before you were my boyfriend. 'Bro's before hoes'," I said.

"What?" he asked.

"Stupid language barrier," I said. "The point is, you are indeed my boyfriend and I would never in a thousand years cheat on you, especially with my ex-boyfriend and his over inflated ego. But understand this, just as I have a special loyalty to you, I have one to my friends also. Poor treatment to them – _any_ of them – will result in termination of this relationship. Are we clear?"

I was not going to put up with this bullshit again.

"And FYI, just because you are my boyfriend, it doesn't put you in a position to dictate who my friends are or who I get to talk to or anything like that and if you think it does then your are sorely mistaken," I said. "I'm leaving."

"Look I did not mean to upset you," Marius said as I started putting my things away. "I am sorry."

I sighed. "I know you are. . . Just give me a bit to cool down."

He nodded and kissed my cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded and made my way out of Ravenclaw tower.

888

"And then he thinks he can just apologize and make it all go away like that's okay or something," I said. "Like, I think Cho Chang is a total tramp but I don't tell him he can't talk to her. He can talk to who ever he wants to because I _trust_ him. Do I give off the vibe of someone who is a cheater? Do I indulge Draco by entertaining all of his ridiculous comments? No, I don't. To show such blatant and unjustified jealousy is just infuriating. On top of that, trying to tell me who I am and who I'm not allowed to be friends with – who does he think he is? I don't care if he's Adonis fresh off of Mount Olympus. I will drop him like a hot biscuit if he thinks he can control me!"

". . . I would never drop a hot biscuit," Ron said.

Hermione punched him in the arm. "Maybe you should dump him and just go out with Draco."

"Who do I look like? Harry Potter?" I asked.

"Well you are my twin," Harry pointed out. This time I punched him. "Just let it go, Hannah. He's a guy. All we do is screw up."

"I know, but I seem to only like guys that have asshole complexes," I said.

"Well, you have one yourself so it fits," Ron said.

"True," Hermione said. I sighed.

"I think you're just having a hard time because Draco let you prance around like you were the bloody Queen of England and now that you're back on the playing field of a normal girl you're freaking out," Harry said.

"Maybe," I said.

"Not maybe, this is exactly what that is," Hermione said. "Consider your ego deflated."


	20. Astronomy and Quidditch

_[A/N: Apparently, in the U.K. I learned, while watching Tom Felton do an interview with Craig Ferguson (the best late night talk show host ever), that fanny isn't really a kind word. Who'da thought huh? (Though I'm sure if you're from the U.K. you're like, "Thanks for telling me something I already knew, KairiGokuJr" in which sorry for wasting your time.]_

Ginny walked into the common room and collapsed onto the couch, her Quidditch robes still on and everything. The door opened and in walked Harry.

"Ginny, five more laps and we've still gotta help Ron with his defense. Come on. You can't just walk out of practice," Harry said.

Ginny sat up and glared at him.

"We have been practicing since classes ended, took a break for dinner and then went back. I refuse to go back out there and practice anymore!" Ginny said. "I understand you want to make this the best damn Quidditch team possible but if we're all to tired to get our brooms off the ground then we're not gonna win anyway."

Harry sighed. "But-."

"But nothing. I am not going to be playing anymore Quidditch today and I'm not coming to practice tomorrow," Ginny said.

"You're coming to practice tomorrow," Harry said.

"Bite me. I'll be damned if I come down to practice tomorrow," Ginny said.

"Then don't bother playing in the game next Saturday," Harry said.

"Don't make empty threats. You won't play Seamus instead of me. I'm way better than him," Ginny said. Harry sighed. Ginny was right.

"Fine. . . I'll call off practice. Malfoy needs the pitch anyway," Harry said and walked out the common room.

"Trouble on the team?" I asked returning to my homework.

"Your brother is a dictator, gone mad with power," Ginny said. "He says we're the best team he's ever seen and he even got all teary eyed making this one speech about how proud he is but he works us like dogs and criticizes every little thing we do. 'Ginny you were off on that last catch. Coote try actually hitting the bludgers for once. McLaggen move a little slower.' I just want to strangle him but I can't do that."

"Because that's against the law," I said.

Ginny sighed. "How've you been?"

"Spectacular," I said.

"Good. . . How's Marius?" Ginny asked.

"He's fine," I said.

"Good. Good. . . Teaching?" Ginny asked.

"Great. . ." I said. ". . .You have illegible handwriting though. . . makes it difficult to grade."

"Sorry about that," Ginny said.

Downstairs came Romilda came down with her tiny group of cohorts. I groaned. I really couldn't stand the girl.

"Hello, Hannah. Have you seen Harry? I've been dying to talk to him," Romilda said.

"He's busy," Ginny said.

"I'm sorry. . . Did I say Ginny? No, I'm sure I said Hannah," Romilda said.

"Well I just saw Harry. He's at Quidditch practice. He's busy," Ginny said, annoyed with the girl. Romilda rolled her eyes and walked out of the common room. "I can't stand that girl."

"Likewise," I said.

"I just wanna punch her in the face," Ginny said rising to her feet. "I'd better get these robes off and take a shower."

"Probably," I said.

Ginny walked upstairs leaving me alone in the common room with a couple of first years.

The common room door opened and Harry ran inside and upstairs. I was bewildered for a moment but then Romilda ran in.

"Harry! Can't we just talk?" she called after him upstairs.

"Leave me alone!" he called back. The rest of the team slowly walked back into the common room.

"Have fun?" I asked.

"You're so lucky you quit before Harry became captain," Jimmy said.

"I mean keep hit the bludgers and I wanna hit them but I just can't anymore," Ritchie added.

"Best friend or not, he's gone mad with power," Ron said. "Ginny got the right idea leaving abruptly like that. We decided to follow suit."

"I bet you regret all those times you called your sister stupid, eh?" I asked.

"Not really," Ron said. "Do you know what's wrong with Kaitlin?"

"Kaitlin?" I asked.

"Yeah. I saw her a few hours ago in the hospital wing. Looked a mess," Ron said.

"She said she wasn't feeling well this morning," I said.

"Must be bad. Should've seen the potion Madame Pomfrey gave her. It was all hot and swirly and steamy – smelt awful too," Ron said. My heart practically beat out of my chest. That sounded familiar. "After she drank I went to talk to her. She said it tasted awful and that-."

"It's a pity sugar makes it useless?" I asked.

"Yeah, something like that," Ron said. "You know what it is?"

"I believe so, though I can't be sure," I said walked over to the window and looking out at the full moon. Ron walked over beside me.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I can't really say, at least not until after I talk to her," I said.

"Is it something serious?" Ron asked.

"That's a matter of perspective," I said.

888

"I can't see Titan," Draco said. I moved him from his telescope and looked.

"Go a little more north," I said returning to my own work.

"Are you better than me in everything?" he asked marking it on his paper.

"No. I just found Titan already," I said.

"Oh, so I am a better astronomer than you," Draco said.

"Indubitably," I said.

"That's great for me," Draco said.

"How so?" I asked. I looked up from my telescope at him.

He looked up at me and sighed.

"My secret ambition in life has always been to be an astronomer," Draco said. My jaw dropped and stared at him for a second. I restrained a laugh, but then couldn't contain myself.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I said. "I just I can't really believe those words actually came out of your mouth."

"Yeah, Snape laughed too," Draco said.

"You told Snape?" I asked. Draco nodded.

"During career counseling," he said. "I'd never seen him laugh before then."

"It's. . . A bit unorthodox to be sure. But it's cute. Really," I said. "So do you want to pursue astronomy as a career?"

"No," he said. "It's be a nice side project – kind of like how you plan to teach while researching a cure for lycanthropy on the side."

"Well what do you want to do?" I asked.

Draco shrugged. "I'm not sure. I could be an auror. I could try to work my way onto the wizengamot. I just don't know. I have no direction. I don't have an actual knack for anything other than astronomy."

"Then be an astronomer," I said.

"So the rest of the world can laugh at me? No thank you," Draco said.

"Well find something you want to do with your life. You can't just waste it away doing nothing, unless doing nothing is what you want to do," I said.

"What do you mean do nothing?" he asked.

"You could marry a nice girl, have a few kids and be a stay at home Dad. A lot of people feel fulfilled that way," I said.

"No thank you," Draco said. "Sometimes the very thought of having children makes me ill."

"Why?" I asked.

"There are a lot of crazy people in my family if you hadn't noticed," Draco said.

That was true – his mother, his father, Bellatrix, even Sirius and Tonks were a little bit loopy.

"Well, I don't know very much at all about my family except what I know about my parents and in the grand scheme of things, that isn't much, but that doesn't scare me. I want to have enough kids to start a band," I said.

"Seriously?" Draco asked.

"No, crazy," I said. "But, yeah, I wouldn't mind have a bunch of kids. I did grow up with the Weasley's after all."

Draco shrugged. "One or two would be fine – as long as they weren't crazy. More than that though and_ I_ might go crazy."

"Sometimes a little crazy is okay," I said.

Draco shrugged. "How's that boy of yours doing?"

"Why ask if you don't care?" I asked.

"Because, you care," he said.

I sighed. "So remember when you were talking about his 'true colors' and what not?"

Draco gasped. "What did he do? The sooner you tell me, the sooner I can say I told you so."

"He just doesn't want me talking to you and I was a little bit irritated by it," I said. "He said I should only talk to you when circumstances prove necessary."

"I told you so," he said. I rolled my eyes.

"I told him I was going to talk to you anyway and if he didn't like that he could find a new girlfriend," I said. "No one is in charge of telling me who I can and cannot talk to. It's not as if I spend more time with you than him."

"I think it's the fact that he can't keep an eye on you when we're together that bothers him," Draco said.

"It's not like I've given him a reason to distrust me," I said.

"It's not you he doesn't trust. It's me. I for one don't blame him," Draco said.

"You're not helping," I said.

"I don't intend to," he replied. I scoffed.

888

It was the first Quidditch match of the season – Gryffindor versus Slytherin as always.

I was sitting in the bleachers with Zach by my side at the microphone.

"Excited about the game?" I asked.

"Yeah. Want to see the tem Potter's got lined up this year. Heard he's brought back both of the Weasleys," Zach said rolling his eyes. I chuckled.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said.

McGonagall came back when the stadium had filled. I noticed all the teachers were sitting behind us.

"Well I'm comfortable," I said sarcastically.

McGonagall merely smiled at me. She turned on the microphone.

"Get started," she said.

Zach and I pulled the microphone down.

"Hello-."

There was a lot of feedback. McGonagall fixed the microphone as Zach and I covered our ears.

"Carefully," she said.

"Apparently," I said. "It's the first match up of the season, as always, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Taking the place of retired, graduated announcer, Lee Jordan is, moi, Hannah Potter."

"And Zach Smith. Looks likes Slyherin's captain and seeker and rival of Harry potter has decided not to show up. They've got their reserve, Harper," Zach said.

"It's not like Malfoy to miss a match. He must be sick or something," I said.

"Surprising team your brother has got this year. I see he's got Ron Weasley back. . . It's a bit of a shock considering his. . . Not-So-Great performance last year, but then again I suppose it helps to be best mates with the captain," Zach said. All the Slyhterins cheered.

"Excuse me, but there is nothing wrong with the way Ron Weasley plays Quidditch. He is the best keeper we've had since Oliver Wood. . . Well he's the only one we've had since Oliver, but gosh darn it he's fantastic none the less."

There were cheers and applause from Gryffindor house and they began a chorus of "Weasley Is Our King." I did a little dance in my seat. Zach rolled his eyes at me.

The game began and everyone began to play we went back and forth about who had the ball.

"Slytherin's first attempt at a goal," Zach said.

"A perfect from Ron, save as expected," I said.

"I guess he's bound to get lucky once in a while," Zach said.

On the field Harry looked extremely irritated at Zach's comments, Ron, surprisingly seemed unaffected.

"That's some fantastic beating by Coote and Peakes," I said.

"Eh, Coote isn't the normal size of a beater. They're usually much more muscular," Zach said.

"They're nothing wrong with being a tiny beater," I said.

"Of course you would think so," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Well you're. . . You're a girl. You're tiny. You were a beater and well. . . You pretty much sucked," Zach said.

I scoffed. "Well you've room talking about my Quidditch skills when yours are less than mediocre!" I said.

"Mediocre?" he asked.

"_Less_ than mediocre," I said.

"You two calm down," McGonagall said.

Zach and I sat quietly for a moment before Harper zoomed off past Harry.

"Looks like Harper has seen something Potter hasn't," Zach said.

"But Harry's seen it now."

We watched as Harry and Harper zoomed off after the snitch.

It was to close Harry wouldn't make it.

"This is Slytherin's game. Potter's gonna lose his first game against them," Zach said.

Just then Harry got the snitch just before Harper said.

"BOOYAH! In your face Smith! Gryffindor Wins! Suck it!" I said.

"Hannah!" McGonagall scolded me.

I looked out onto the field where Ginny was motioning for me to move.

"Excuse me Zach, I've gotta," I said. I got up from my seat and walked away as Ginny flew into the announcer booth. Zach screamed like a little girl and I laughed.

"Sorry Professor. I couldn't stop," Ginny said.


	21. There's Something About Draco

_[A/N: So BlackBloodRose64 asked what happened to Draco and is Kaitlin a werewolf. This chapter is for you darling.]_

Kaitlin was lying in her bed the next evening still looking rather ill.

"Hey, buddy," I said to her.

"What are you doing in here? Usually you're off some place studying," she said groaned.

"Well, Gryffindor won their match today. I thought you might want to celebrate. I brought you some celebratory tea," I said.

"Thanks," she said taking the tea from me. "I'm sick all the time. Just a warning."

I shrugged. "Maybe you're not."

"And by that you mean what?" she asked.

I took a deep breath. "My area of expertise is potions."

"Tell me something I don't know," she said.

"The specialty area I plan on focusing on is research and development of a more permanent and effective cure for lycanthropy," I said. Kaitlin nodded again, this time seeming concerned. "You don't have to be afraid of us finding out. Lupin, remember you met him at the twin's shop, he has lycanthropy. He was attacked when he was a little kid by Fenrir Greyback. Lupin has been like a father to me since I met him. He's actually the reason I want to find a cure for lycanthropy. The point is it's okay. Majority of the kids here would probably avoid you if they knew. I just want you to know, the girls in our room and Harry and Ron and Neville and Ginny and Luna – none of those us would ever treat you any differently because you're a werewolf."

". . . Wow," Kaitlin said. "This. . . This is extremely weird."

"I bet that's why you got kicked out of your last school," I said.

"Yep. They felt my health condition was too much to handle," Kaitlin said. "Like I was dangerous or something."

"We know you're not. Don't worry," I said.

Kaitlin nodded. "Well, thanks, though I don't expect I'll go around shouting it from the rooftops just yet."

"I understand," I said. "And if you need anything, like more tea, or whatever, I'm here for you."

"By the way, how did you find out?" she asked.

"Oh, Ron described the potion you took to me and I recognized it. Also noticed you went missing during the full moon so, I put my keen and penetrating mind to the task and came to a proper conclusion," I said.

"Hannah Potter, you are truly a freak of nature. And I mean that in the kindest way possible," she said. I smiled. "I know."

888

September passed quickly into October and I gave up pretty much all hope of ever having a social life until Mid-November after I finished my sixth year course work.

The only peace I had was when I was sleeping or the spare moments I got with my friends and Marius. There was also astronomy class (which was basically where I wasted time talking to Draco about nonsense). And also my meetings with Dumbledore which often called into question my logic.

"Come on, there is no way anyone would go out with him," Harry said.

"I disagree. I mean he wasn't what I would call 'hot' but he wasn't ugly and he was really smart and really popular. He was 16 like us once. I know he had a girlfriend," I said.

"No one would date a sociopath," Harry said.

"He wasn't always a sociopath. . . He just grew up to be one," I said.

"You do realize how absolutely pointless this argument is right?" Dumbledore put in.

Harry and I glanced at Dumbledore and then looked back at each other.

"I'm just saying before he went all bald and snake-like and you know, insane, Tom Marvolo Riddle wasn't bad looking, he was a 'good' person and no one like that will not have a girlfriend at one point or another," I said.

"He was always insane. You just saw the same memory I did. He was killing helpless, innocent animals. He was not right in the head," Harry said.

"But you didn't know that unless-."

"He set a basilisk loose in the school, Hannah! He's the reason I don't even walk down the hallway past the girl's bathroom on the second floor anymore," Harry said.

". . . So you have a bit of a point there," I said. "But even people with the biggest flaws-."

"Hannah, Riddle didn't have a flaw, he was a sociopathic sadist from birth until present day," Harry said.

"Even people with the biggest of flaw, some they have no control over-."

"I'm pretty sure he knew what he was doing when he set the basilisk on Myrtle," Harry said.

"Shut up and let me finish," I said. "Even people with the biggest flaws, some which they have no control over can still find someone who cares about them."

"Name one," Harry said.

"Lupin," I said.

"Nobody knew he was a werewolf," Harry said.

"Mum did and Janessa," I said.

"And who else that he went out?" Harry asked.

". . . I don't know of Lupin ever going out with anyone else. . ." I said.

"What if those are the only girl he's ever gone out with?" Harry asked.

". . . We should try to get Lupin a girl friend," I said.

Dumbledore started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked.

"Your short attention span," Dumbledore said. I rolled my eyes. "While it was a pointless argument, I'm glad you brought it up."

". . . That Lupin doesn't have a girl friend?" I asked.

"You're not as smart as your grades make you out to be," Harry said. "Voldemort."

"Oh! Whether or not he had a girl friend," I said.

"You'll have that question answered the next time we meet," Dumbledore said.

"Which will be when?" I Asked.

"After Christmas probably," he said. "Speaking of it, though it is in the somewhat distant future you'll do well to not go wandering off alone while you're at the burrow."

"And by that you mean don't go anywhere without someone in the order present," I said.

"Bingo," Dumbledore said.

"You're so anal about safety," I said.

"You'll do well to not use the term 'anal' again, Hannah," Dumbledore said.

"Fine," I said.

"Coming back to the present, what have we learned about Voldemort," Dumbledore said.

"Sadist," Harry said.

I rolled my eyes. "He, like a lot of kid wizards and witches, had trouble controlling his abilities, except his had a rather violent outcome."

"Can either of you recall an incident where your gift spun rapidly out of control?" Dumbledore asked.

"Aunt Marge and setting the python on Dudley," Harry said. "Both were brilliant... Not on purpose at all though."

Dumbledore looked to me.

"When I broke all the windows in the room and crushed Fawkes's cage when I was 7," I said.

". . . Rather violent of you as well," Harry said.

"Well I've pretty much come to terms with the fact that I'm more like Voldemort than I'd care to admit," I said.

"This is fantastic. You're making the connections that I wanted you to make. Drawing from your life and Voldemort's. I'm impressed," Dumbledore said.

"You should be," I said.

Dumbledore rolled his eyes.

"I've got to get to astronomy class now, I'll see you lads later," I said.

I skipped out of Dumbledore's office and walked all the way to the other side of the castle to the astronomy tower.

For the first time in my natural born life I was late to astronomy. Draco was already looking over star charts.

As I closed the door behind me I realized it was freezing here.

"Christ. . . I left my cloak in my room," I said going over to my telescope. "Professor-."

"Nope. You're late," she said.

"But I was with the headmaster," I said.

"That's unfortunate," she said. She looked at her watch and sighed. "I'll be back."

I rolled my eyes and shivered.

"I hate her," I said.

"Here," Draco said handing me his cloak. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure it's no big deal," I said.

"Yeah. Besides, you shouldn't be out here freezing anyway," Draco said. "We're supposed to be looking for Neptune but it's far too cloudy to see damn near anything."

I put Draco's cloak on and closed it tight. It was still warm.

"Did I ever tell you that you smell good?" I asked. Draco looked at me oddly. "Seriously. The best smell in the world is when boys smell good. Whether it be you or Marius or Neville or Seamus or Dean. I just love it smells when boys smell extra super good. Not Harry though. Not Harry."

". . . That's the stuff Crabbe wears," Draco said.

"Then guess who's getting a hug from me tomorrow," I said.

"Weirdo," Draco said.

"You've known me for six years and you're just now figuring that out?" I asked.

"I knew it all along just never vocalized it," he said. I shook my head.

"You make me laugh," I said.

The door opened and in walked Professor Sinistra.

"According to your divination it's not supposed to clear up until tomorrow so classes for this evening are cancelled," she said.

Draco and I walked out of the astronomy tower and down the stairs.

"They're not expecting me back for a while," I said. ". . . You wanna go get a snack?"

Draco shrugged.

I took him downstairs to the familiar portrait of fruit.

"Tickle the pear," I said. Draco looked at me oddly. "Don't question me. Just do it."

Draco stuck out his finger and tickled the pear. It let out a small giggle and the portrait hole opened.

I pulled it open and we stepped inside.

"This is the kitchen," I said.

Draco looked at all the house elves.

"Granger's right. This is pretty bad," Draco said.

"Don't go soft on me," I said.

Someone kicked me. I looked down to see Winky. I sighed.

"Hello dear," I said. She took a swig of butterbeer from her bottle. As she did my favorite little house elf appeared.

"Hannah Potter! Dobby is so happy to be seeing you again!" he said.

"Dobby!" Draco said. Dobby looked up at Draco and his eyes widened. "You're here?"

"Yes, sir. Dobby works at Hogwarts now. He gets fair wages and days off! They appreciate Dobby here. Not like he was treated in the company of the Malfoy's," Dobby said.

"Shame on you," I said to Draco.

"I'm sorry Dobby. It's good to see you getting treated better," Draco said. "Sorry for always throwing scones at you."

"Oi. How can you do that to precious little Dobby?" I asked hugging the small elf.

"I was young, he was there, I was bored. I had no proper training. I was an animal," Draco said.

"Indeed," I said releasing Dobby. "Now Dobby, I've gone and gotten myself out class early. Think you can rustle up Draco and me a snack."

With that the elves came swarming.

I took a bowl of Jell-o and Draco an éclair.

"Dobby, where's the door to my room?" I asked

Dobby led Draco and me over to a cabinet. I pulled it open and inside was my room under Dumbledore's office.

"I love magic," I said. "Thank you Dobby. And stop Winky from drinking so much."

"Dobby will!" he said faithfully. I climbed through the small cabinet and then helped Draco through. I closed the door behind me and plopped down on my bed.

"I haven't been here in a while," Draco said.

"This is like my office," I said eating my jell-o. "It's nice here. Maybe I should sleep here the next time Emily has a wedding freak out and decides work through the night."

"Long as she's happy I suppose," Draco said.

"That's the whole point," I said. "She said Fred wanted a trampoline at their wedding."

"Sweet. . . I should have a trampoline at my wedding," Draco said.

"Good luck with that. I hope you actually meet a girl who wants a trampoline at her wedding reception," I said.

"What's a wedding without a trampoline?" Draco asked.

"Dignified," I said.

"I'm well past the point of maintaining my dignity, especially with all the stuff that got out about us last year," Draco said. "Dignity's got nothing to do with it anymore."

"I guess not, but you should still at least have a sense of propriety," I said.

Draco looked at me oddly for a moment.

"What happened to your jell-o?" he asked. I looked down at my empty bowl.

"Hmm. . . I guess I ate it all," I said.

"Are you serious?" he asked. I nodded. "You Gryffindor's and those appetites."

I sat my bowl on the floor and looked over at Draco who was sitting next to me.

"I'm glad we're alone. I've been wanting to talk to you," he said.

"About what?" I asked.

He shook his head. "It's complicated. I just. . . You are the only person on the entire planet I feel like I can trust with this information – as crazy as that is."

"You know you can trust me. Always," I said.

"This. . . what I have to tell you. . . It's. . . It's not my fault," he said. "I didn't want to do it and now I have to and I'm in way over my head and. . ."

". . . You didn't. . . Like. . . Accidentally get Astoria Greengrass pregnant or something did you?" I asked.

"No! Hannah, I haven't done anything like that with anyone," Draco said.

"Sorry," I said.

"You. . . You haven't?" Draco asked.

"No," I said. "I won't even let Marius get to third. I learned my lesson. But what is it?"

Draco got to his feet and turned his back to me. "I'm really scared I'm going to hurt you."

"Hurt me?" I asked.

"Remember when you asked me if I did something stupid? I did," he said. "But I didn't have a choice really."

". . . What?" I asked.

"You can't tell. Anyone," Draco said.

"Of course, I won't," I said. "I swear."

Draco's breathing became heavy as his right arm lifted to the base of left sleeve.

"Please don't run," Draco said.

He lifted his sleeve and turned round to me, revealing the Dark Mark on his arm.

I felt all the oxygen escape my lungs at once as I collapsed down onto my bed.

I shook my head. "No. . . This is a joke."

"It's not," he said. "I can explain. I didn't want this."

"And yet, here you stand, showing me your Dark Mark. I'm really confused," I said.

"You have to believe me. This wasn't my decision," he said.

"You have thirty seconds to explain yourself or I'm going to Dumbledore," I said.

"No, Hannah, listen. I don't have a choice. If I didn't do this he'd kill my parents," Draco said.

". . . Voldemort said he would kill your parents if you didn't do this?" I asked.

Draco nodded. "And, I know about my parents being death eaters. He went on about me honoring my father and doing better than he did and. . ."

"He's trying to get back at your dad for messing things up at the ministry," I said. Draco nodded.

"I can't let them hurt my mum," Draco said.

"And you've been missing class and Quidditch for what reason?" I asked.

"He asked me to do something. . ." Draco said.

"And you've been trying to figure out a way of going about doing?" I asked. Draco nodded. "And what did he ask you to do?"

Draco shook his head. "I can't tell you. Just. . . Know that I don't want to do it, but if I take too long doing it he'll. . . He'll kill them."

I got to my feet and walked over to Draco. I took his arm and looked down at the dark mark. I ran my fingers over it. It just looked evil. It sent off evil vibes. How could Draco have such an evil thing etched onto his skin?

I looked up at him and shook my head. "I can't believe you're. . . I can't." I hugged him tightly and then looked up to him again. "It'll be okay. You'll find some way out of this."

I felt all funny and mixed up inside. I was staring into his eyes, unable to look away. The gap between us closed as I leaned closer to him and before I even realized what I was doing I kissed him.

As soon as I got a grip I broke away and rose to my feet. I was in panic mode. I didn't know what to do. I'd never been so confused in my life. Draco was a death eater and yet I still cared about him. Then there was the matter of Marius who was my boyfriend, not a death eater, and who I 'd a few weeks ago sworn that I'd never cheat on him.

My head was spinning so fast I could vomit.


	22. The Giggle Loop

_[A/N: I don't take credit for the giggle loop. It's from a hilarious show called "Coupling". Watch it Also, this chapter is for Kaitlin because my Ninja is strong. Also, this chapter is short. My bad.]_

"I'm going to die!" I cried into my pillow.

"Damn right you are if you keep screaming like that because _I_ am going to kill you," Kaitlin said.

"My exams are tomorrow," I said. "I crammed a year's worth of information into my head and I have to spit all out tomorrow. What if it all falls out before then? What if I forget it in my sleep? What if I fall out of my bed in the middle of the night and get a concussion? What if-."

"I hold a pillow over your face until you stop breathing?" Kaitlin asked.

Parvati laughed. "Where have you been all my life, Kaitlin?"

"Look, the rest of us have tests tomorrow too. They may not be as important as yours but seeing as how we are not all genius' like you, your complaining is not helping," Kaitlin said.

"You've been irritating for weeks as a matter of fact," Emily said.

"There's been a lot on my mind," I said.

_*My controlling boyfriend, my death eater ex-boyfriend. The norm that every 16 year old girl deals with.*_

"How are things with Marius?" Emily asked.

"Same old, same old," I said.

"I certainly hope he's not as boring as you make him out to be," Parvati said.

"It's not that he's boring, it's just that Draco is more interesting," Emily said. "He was always doing something interesting. I miss Draco."

"Yeah, me too. Go back out with him," Parvati said.

Hermione chuckled darkly from her bed.

"Piss off," I said.

"Be honest, is your relationship with really going anywhere?" Parvati asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno. He's nice to talk to and I enjoy making out with him, which is always nice."

"But is there a spark? Does he make you swoon?" Parvati asked.

"Is he still a controlling asshole?" Kaitlin mumbled.

"Your face is a controlling asshole," I retorted.

"You know what I have to say to that," Kaitlin said. "Fuck you."

I scoffed. "Well then, rude much."

"What's the old Malfoy been up to these days anyway?" Emily asked.

"Not in class. I know that much," Parvati said.

"Oh, lay off him. He's going through some stuff," I said.

"I can imagine – father in jail, reading about the ministry raiding your house every other day. It's awful," Emily said. "Last time I saw him, he looked so miserable I hugged him. It was weird. But he said thank you! He's never said that to me before!"

"Yeah, that Malfoy is a changed man," Parvati said.

I shrugged. "He'll make some girl very happy."

"He'd make you very happy, again," Emily said. "Trust me, I'm always right."

"Sure," I said tossing my books aside. "I'm going to hit the hay you guys. Hopefully by this time tomorrow, I'll still have my sanity."

"Have it back is more like it," Kaitlin said.

888

Five hours of brewing potions, identifying different types of animals, filling in a star chart from memory, properly transforming wood into different types of material, math equations, writing a not so brief synopsis of the history of the wizarding world, and developing theories that would best save me if I ever ended up facing a werewolf, inferi, and manticore later, I was done with my sixth year exams and prepared to fall over and die.

At three in afternoon I slinked out of Dumbledore's office where I had taken all of my exams and started what seemed like an epic journey back to my common room where I collapsed onto the couch face first.

Shortly after, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Finish your exams then?" Harry asked.

"Yes," I said.

"How did you do?" he asked.

"Well I still need all of my written work graded but I got an A in potions, transfigurations, and care of magical creatures," I said.

"Congrats." That wasn't Harry's voice but I certainly recognized it.

I turned over to see Harry kneling beside the couch with Draco.

"What is this?" I asked.

"I am a who not a what," Draco said.

"What are you doing in our common room with my brother?" I asked.

"Oh, he just came by to hang out," Harry said as casually as if it were Ron or Neville or Seamus. "He's come by a lot. You've just been in study mode these past few weeks."

_*Does not compute! Does not compute! What!*_

"Look, you finish your nap. We've got homework," Harry said.

They both walk over to the stairs. Harry dashed up quickly, but Draco paused.

"What?" I asked.

Draco proceeded to do a little jig involving a pelvic thrust, the point a shoot, a twirl, him moon walking to the stairs and finally cabbage patching as he walked upstairs.

I laughed. I should've known better than to think that his whole dancing bit on the second day of school was a joke.

The common room door opened again and Marius walked in with Hermione and Ron.

"Hey! How'd it go?" Hermione asked.

"Fine. I know I passed everything. I have confirmed A's in potions, transfigurations, and care of magical creatures. I'll have the rest of my results just before dinner," I said.

"That's wonderful," Marius said giving me a kiss. "What were you laughing about just now?"

"Oh, nothing. Draco came in with Harry a bit ago and he was being. . . Silly. It was nothing. Just made me laugh," I said. Marius nodded.

"I wanted to talk to you. Can we talk privately?" he asked.

"Yeah, we can go to my room," I said.

"We'll be in Ron's room," Hermione said.

Marius and I walked upstairs to my room and sat down on my bed.

"So, what's up?" I asked.

"I wanted to tell you something really important," he said.

"I'm all ears, Babe," I said.

"You're very special to me and I care for you a lot," he said. I nodded. "And. . . I love you."

Regardless of how I felt, regardless of the fact that there was no actual proper way to respond when someone dropped an L-bomb on you and you didn't feel the same way, I definitely responded in a manner that was inappropriate.

I giggled.

I immediately tried to recover, but Marius, visibly angry, was out of the door before I could say anything.

I sighed and walked up to Harry's room.

"Hey there. Where's Marius?" Ron asked.

"Probably contemplating breaking up with me," I said.

"Why? What'd you do?" Harry asked.

"Well he kind of said he loved me and instead of letting him down easy, I was kind of effected by the dreaded giggled loop," I said.

Ron shook his head. "Damn giggle loop."

"What's the giggle loop?" Draco asked.

"Don't ask; to know of the giggle loop is to become a part of the giggle loop," I said.

"I think we can handle it," Harry said.

"No. You're not ready for the giggle loop," Ron said.

". . . Huh?" Draco asked.

"I don't know what those two talk about half the time either," Hermione said.

"It's when you're in an uncomfortable situation – someone telling you they love you and you don't love them back, at a wedding, or a minute's silence for someone who's died. In the middle of this situation, the giggle loop attacks out of nowhere," Ron said.

"This thought pops into your head 'the worst thing I could do after he's told me he loves me is laugh'. As soon as you think it you almost do laugh, but you control yourself and it's okay," I said.

"But then you think about how awful it would've been if you had laughed after being told that so you almost laugh again but this time it's a bigger laugh. And you think how awful it would be if this bigger laugh had come out so you nearly laugh again," Ron said.

"Only this time it's even bigger. It's an enormous laugh. Let this bastard out and you get whiplash. So you're in the middle of this horrible situation and thinking about laughing, fighting the urge to do so, shaking like a crazy person and what do you think of your predicament – it's fucking hilarious," I said.

"So you laugh," Ron said.

"Shame really. I do like Marius. I suppose I'll have to go and talk to him if I want to fix all this rubbish," I said.

"Or you could not," Hermione said with a wink. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, look at the time. I've got somewhere to be," Draco said.

"Where?" Hermione asked.

"Somewhere that isn't going to make me feel uncomfortable," he said. "See ya."


	23. A Chance At Forever

_[A/N: *sighs* You're welcome No applause, just keep reading (you'll understand when you finish the chapter).]_

I walked into Dumbledore's office before dinner that evening. He was smiling at me.

"I'm assuming I passed then," I said.

"And you maintained your perfect average. Impressive," Dumbledore said.

"Exhausting is more the word. I feel like I'm going to die," I said.

"Well, you are free until January. You just have to keep up with your student teaching," he said.

"Can do," I said.

"So, how is your friend Malfoy doing?" he asked.

I sighed. "I feel like you already know that he's a-."

"Death eater? Of course," Dumbledore said.

"Of course," I said. "Why am I not surprised? That's why you told me to be his friend and to keep an eye on him isn't it?"

"Again, yes," he said.

"He says Voldemort will kill his parents if he doesn't do it. And he's up to something. I don't know what but he spends all of his time working on it," I said.

"Concerned?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course I am. He's not a bad person. He may have this really rough exterior but on the inside he's sweet and he's kind and he would never do anything to really hurt anyone. He wouldn't be a death eater out of choice and the only reason he's working on whatever stupid project he's working on is because he has to create the illusion he's dedicated," I said. "What I'm afraid of is that Draco can't do whatever he's been assigned to do and that, well, that's exactly what Voldemort wants."

"Really?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. After what happened at the ministry having someone Voldemort trusted as much as Lucius fail him probably upset him and if there's one thing I know about Voldemort it's that he doesn't like failure and he doesn't like people messing up his plans. When that does happen he likes to go out for blood. . . What better way to teach Lucius a lesson than to kill his son?" I asked. "I just. . . I love Draco and I don't want him to get hurt."

Somehow, this threw everything into perspective.

"I have to go," I said.

"Dinner calls," he replied.

I walked out of his office and headed downstairs.

Maybe I really was supposed to be with Draco. It didn't make sense but at the same time it did.

I shouldn't have wanted to have anything to do with Draco but I was going crazy out of my wind with silent concern for him. I laughed at my boyfriend when he told me he loved then went and professed (again) my love for Draco to someone else.

I was daft. A complete tosser.

When I woke up every morning it wasn't Marius I thought about – It was Draco. When I was shaping my future in my head, he was always there. The mere thought of being without him actually killed me. The fact that he was working for Voldemort against his will was terrifying.

And here I was, turning him away at every turn. I wasn't just hurting him, I was hurting myself. Otherwise I wouldn't have kissed him.

I walked down to the Great Hall and sat with my friends just as dinner was served.

"Seen Marius around?" I asked.

"Nope," Harry replied. He's not down here."

"What about your new buddy, Draco?" I asked.

"He's down here," Ron pointed. I stood from the table. "What are you doing?"

"Obviously I needed to talk to him. Why else would I ask?" I asked.

"Talk about what?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing you need worry your pretty little head about," I said. "I'll be back later."

"You're not eating dinner?" Harry asked.

"Oh, my goodness. Chillax. I'll eat something. You guys need to relax," I said.

I walked over to the Slytherin table and tapped Draco on the shoulder.

"Hello," he said. "Talk to your boyfriend yet?"

Nay," I replied. "Alternatively I needed to talk to you."

"What about?" he asked.

"Stuff. Can you meet me in my room by Dumbledore's office after you finish eating and what not?" I asked.

"No problem," he said. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Never better," I said. "I'll see you."

I walked out of the Great Hall and dragged myself up to my room. It was a mess. There were papers scattered all over. Books open all over my bed, desk, and floor. Star charts hung from my walls and hundreds of sticky notes hung from every surface possible with reminders, notes, research pages and random doodles that amused me.

I started to pick up things and straighten up. About halfway through, Draco came up through the trap door.

"Wow. . . It looks like the library threw up all over your room," he said.

"You don't know the half of it," I said. "But like they say, messiness is a sign of genius."

"They also say cleanliness is next to godliness," Draco replied.

"Touché," I said lying down on my bed.

"Stressed out?" he asked.

"No. I'm finally relaxing," I said.

"What'd you want to talk to me about?" he asked sitting down next to me. I sat up and smile at him.

"You're a good person, you know that don't you?" I asked

Draco shrugged. "This isn't about my Dark Mark is it?"

"No. It's got nothing to do with that. All though, it is kind of what helped me have this grand epiphany. So, let me finish talking and then you can say whatever you have to say," I said. Draco nodded. "Okay, I was thinking about stuff, like your dark mark this whole awful thing you're in the middle of and it's been driving me bonkers!"

"Why?" Draco asked.

"Because I'm worried about you! What if Voldemort gave you an impossible task and set you up for failure so he'd have an excuse to kill you to teach your dad a lesson!" I asked. "The mere thought you dying is scary and horrifying and why, I asked myself, the reason it's such a tragic thought is because I love you Draco Malfoy. I am crazy, head over heels, madly, deeply in love with you. I laughed at Marius when he said that to me not because of the giggle loop but because deep down inside I found it hilarious that I was supposed to love someone other than you. Screw Marius and screw my stupid pride. In the beginning, no I didn't want to be with you because I didn't trust you. But here you are, a death eater working for a man who'd like to have my head on his wall and I still can't stop thinking about you even though I shouldn't be. And I don't know if that's trust or stupidity – knowing me it's probably both – but I do know that I love you. I want a second chance at us and to take a chance at forever."

"You know, after I told you about the Dark Mark, I'd pretty much given up on you, not because I wanted to but because I thought that even if you wanted to help me you wouldn't feel safe being with me," he said.

"I know you'd never hurt me. And this isn't you. You're not a death eater. You're going to find a way out of this and I'll do anything I can to help you," I said.

I kissed him.

"A second chance sounds great," he said. "But. . . What about Marius?"

"I wouldn't worry so much about him. Like I said, he's probably going to break up with me anyway," I said.

"Alright then," he said. He planted another kiss on my lips. I had to be an idiot to pass those up all the time. "I'd better go though."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Unlike you, I have class tomorrow," he said. "Besides I don't want your brother or your 'boyfriend' to find me in here and kick my ass."

"Well, Harry doesn't know my new password and, well, I've never told Marius about this place," I said.

"Why not?" he asked.

I shrugged. "This is a special for me and I only wanted to share it with people who are special to me too. . . People I love. People like you."

Draco chuckled. "You're still full of surprises, Hannah."

"I know," I said. "But, please. Stay."

"As you wish," he said. "Besides, I miss sleeping next to you."

888

I walked into my dorm the next morning around 7:15. Hermione was the only one still there.

"Hey, where'd you slip off to last night? No one saw you after dinner," she said.

"Dude, I have to talk to you," I said, locking the door behind me.

"Must be serious," she said. I nodded. "What is it?"

"To make a long story short I had this grand epiphany yesterday and, you can do your little happy dance and your little 'I told you so' speech, but I'm getting back together with Draco," I said. Hermione squealed with excitement. "I know. Calm down. That's not even the most important part of what happened."

"It's not? What else happened?" she asked, sounding a bit concerned. "If you're worried that you made out with Draco while you're still with Marius I feel like you don't even need to tell him about that since you're going to end things with him anyway."

"No, Hermione, it's not that," I said with a chuckle. "Last night I. . . I did a lot more than make out with Draco."

Hermione's eyes turned to the size of dinner plates and she clamped her hands over her mouth. She shook her head.

"You didn't?" she asked. I nodded. "Last night? You and Draco. . . You two. . . You. . . You did it?" I nodded again. Hermione gasped and brought her hands down. "You didn't!"

"I did. I was there," I said.

Hermione sat down Indian style across from me on my bed and closed my curtains.

"You know I have to interrogate you even though my brain keeps telling me that I'm better off not knowing anything," she said.

"I'll tell you as long as you don't say a word-."

"To Harry. Of course," she said. "Now, question number one, you were safe weren't you?"

"Yes. We're not stupid," I said rolling my eyes.

"Well I can never be sure with you," she said. ". . . What was it like?"

"It was. . . Perfect, Hermione. I mean, at first it kind of hurt but that's normal I've heard. But after that. . . It's a kind of closeness that I can't describe and. . . If it had been anyone else other than Draco I know it wouldn't have been that way," I said. "And more and more I just know I made the right decision and I don't regret what we did at all."

"I guess that's a good thing then," Hermione said. "I can't say I actually approve of what you did but. . . I'm at least glad that you love him and that, I guess, it was special for you. Too many times you hear about it being awful, so. . . I'm happy for you?"

"I dunno if I'm supposed to say thank you considering the circumstances," I said.

"It's not exactly what I had in mind when I pictured you getting back together with Draco. . ." Hermione said.

"Me either," I said. "You're not really going to make me tattoo your name on me are you?"

"No," she said. "You're sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. I mean, my legs kind of hurt," I said.

"What?" she asked.

"I feel like I did the splits," I said. Hermione nodded. "So it hurts to walk, but I think I've been doing a good job of playing it off."

"Not really. I was wondering why you were walking funny," she said. I rolled my eyes. She reached over and hugged me. "I totally told you so."


	24. Bad Break Up

_[A/N: If you get the joke Draco and Harry make with each other give yourself ten cool points!]_

I felt like dancing as the end of the school day approached. There was something exhilarating about breaking up with Marius. The last two times I had to break up with someone I was angry and sad. It felt strange to be ending a relationship knowing that I wasn't going to be upset about it.

As I danced around the seventh floor at the end of the day I happened to bump into Marius near Dumbledore's office.

"Hey, there," he said.

"Hi," I said, far too excited to be doing what I was doing.

"I missed you last night," he said.

"I was. . . Busy," I said.

_-Busy gettin' busy.-_

_*Bomchikabowwow.*_

"But I wanted to talk to you," I said backing away into a secluded alcove. He followed and stood across from me.

"So, what's up?" he asked.

How did you break up with someone who had done absolutely nothing wrong?

"Look, Marius, you're a really great guy and I do like you a lot but, us, we're not working and I think we should see other people," I said.

"Wait. . . What?" he asked.

"I'm breaking up with you," I said.

"I don't understand," he said a hint of anger in his voice. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"I know you didn't. It's not you it's me," I said.

_*That does sounds really lame.*_

_-No wonder people never say that in real life.-_

Marius grabbed my arm forcefully, startling me.

"This is about Malfoy isn't it?" he asked.

"Let go of me," I said, trying to shake him away.

"Answer me," He said, almost shouting at me, pinning me back against the wall.

"Yes, it's because of Draco," I said.

_WHAM!_

Everything stopped. The first thing I felt was a stinging burning sensation on the side of my face where his hand had hit me. I went instinctively to put my hand to my face but he was restraining.

"Let me go!" I said trying to shake him away.

"No! I can't believe you! You. . . You. . . You _whore_!" he shouted.

"How dare you? Let go of my right now!" I demanded.

Suddenly there was the crack of a spell leaving someone's wand and Marius was flung unconscious to the ground. I breathed a relieved sigh as my rescuer came running up to me.

"Tonks? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came to see you actually! Are you alright? What happened?" she asked.

"I was breaking up with him and he took it badly," I said.

Marius struggled to his feet.

"You'll do well not to put your hands on her ever again and I am reporting this incident to Professor Dumbledore," Tonks said. "And so help me if I even catch wind that you've come near her again I'll have you locked up in Azkaban before you know what hit you."

Marius leered at her and started making his way to what I could only assume was Ravenclaw tower.

"He's never-?"

"Acted like a crazy person before? No. Never," I said. "I would never be with a guy who did that to me. Well. . . That I knew of anyway obviously."

"Why were you breaking up with him in the first place? You were crazy about him," Tonks said.

I smiled. "I. . . I decided to get back together with Draco."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes. I mean, I know he was a prat before but he's changed and. . . I really, really, really, _really_ love Draco, like in this insane, overprotective, jealous, crazy, 'I just want to be with you all of the time' kind of way. And I may only be 16 or whatever but I feel like if you love someone you shouldn't be afraid to be with them even if not everyone approves," I said.

Tonks sighed. "I could not agree with you more."

"So you're okay with this then?" I asked.

"After _that_ boy I'm pretty much okay with anyone who isn't him," she said. "But. . . Be careful."

". . . Have you talked to Dumbledore about Draco?" I asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean. . . Dumbledore told me to keep an eye on Draco. . . If you know what I mean," I said.

"Oh! Draco. . . Voldemort. . . Yeah, I know, which is why this very unsettling," she said.

"Voldemort threatened his parents if he didn't do this," I said. "It's. . . He's not evil."

"I know. Which is why this is okay but. . . Be careful still. Snape knows what happens when you caught up with that lot and it's very hard and very dangerous to get out of it," Tonks said. "And he'll be in that much more trouble because he's roped in with you."

"Yeah. I don't pretend that people who get close to me end up getting hurt. I always notice. My parents. Ginny. Hermione. Cedric. You and Sirius. The list goes on," I said. "He even threatened Draco last summer."

"And he'd do it again. So be doubly careful," she said.

"Right. So, I assuming you didn't magically show up here to save me from my rabid ex-boyfriend," I said.

"No, I did not. I came because I got you a gift," she said. The entire time she'd been toting around a cardboard box with the strategic holes punched all over it. She handed it to me. "I wanted to get you something for successfully passing all of your sixth year course work in three months which is incredible."

I lifted the lid off the box and let of a squeal of delight when I saw what was inside.

"Oh, a little kitten!"

"I asked Dumbledore what I should get you and he said you always kind of lamented never having had any pets as a kid so I got you a kitten. A girl kitten," she said.

"Oh, Tonks, he's perfect," I said. She was a small little thing, gray with black stripes and big gray eyes, a lot like McGonagall's animagus form. "Thanks."

"No problem," she said.

"So. . . Are you alright?" I asked.

She stared at me confused for a moment. "Am I alright?"

"Yeah, I mean, we all kind of noticed your abilities are kind of on the fritz and that usual lighthearted fun-and-fancy free attitude of yours isn't there. I was, all of us, were concerned," I said.

She smiled at me. "I will be fine. Things are just complicated at the moment. . . People are complicated."

"Well. . . Cheer up soon. I miss you," I said.

"I kinda miss me too," she joked."I'm gonna go talk to Dumbledore. He'll probably want to see you so don't stray too far and prepare for a very concerned letter from Sirius ranting about both Marius and Draco."

"I'm always prepared for that," I said. "Thanks again for the cat."

"See you around," she said.

888

"He did what?" Harry asked after I explained what happened with Marius to him for the fourth time.

"Harry, it's over. He's being dealt with by Dumbledore and Tonks right now. It's not even a big deal," I said.

"It very well is a big deal Hannah! You can't just go around dating guys from the 'Slap-A-Hoe Nation'!" Harry said.

"The Slap-A-Hoe Nation?" Ginny asked.

"O thoughtit sounded better than the 'Beat-A-Bitch Tribe'," Harry said.

"Those both sound awful," I said.

"And they are! And so is he! I don't care that one more fights lands me a suspension, I'm totally kicking his ass the next time I see him," Harry said.

"Harry calm down," Hermione said. "She said it's being handled."

"You are breaking up with him aren't you?" Harry asked.

"Well if you let me finish the story, you'd know that he hit me _because_ I was breaking up with him," I said.

"Why'd you break up with him?" Ron asked.

I sighed as a small grin crossed over lips. "I'm getting back together with Draco."

Harry stared at me for a moment.

"He's. . . It's weird because I don't exactly really _like_ him but he's alright to hang out with sometimes and I don't know I'll like him anymore if he's your boyfriend," Harry said.

"As long you're not killing each other or being awful to each other behind my back or lying to me it's fine. You don't have to be the best of friends. I just want you to not want to kill each other," I said.

"I want to kill him on principal for running his hands all over my sister," Harry said.

"You are so lucky you're an only child, Hermione," Ginny said.

"Indeed," she replied.

"Just, be careful. Please. I really, really can't stand seeing you get hurt. Watching you this summer was just awful. I'd really hate to see that happen again," he said.

"Well you won't," I said.

Harry's bedroom door opened and Kaitlin emerged with Draco.

"Ha! I told you I'd locate them," she said.

"You're right – your ninja is strong," Draco said.

"Thank you very much," she said.

"Who's cat is that?" Draco asked pointing at my kitten.

"She's mine! Tonks got her for me for passing sixth year! She's so cute isn't she?" I asked. Draco nodded. "Haven't given her a name yet though. I'm leaning toward Lyra or Arwen."

"If I had a daughter with one leg I'd name her Peggy," Harry said.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Or Eileen," Draco added.

"Ah, Malfoy's got it!" Harry said. "I guess it is okay that you're dating my sister or whatever."

"Oh, God, words I never thought I'd hear uttered!" I said throwing my arms around him.

"You're telling me," Draco said.

"That explains why he was walking around all pissed off," Kaitlin said.

I groaned.

"Yeah, actually Dumbledore was looking for him," Draco said. "He was kind of hiding."

"Well that's because he took our break up really, really badly," I said.

"Badly like how?" Draco asked.

"As Harry put it, Marius joined the 'Beat-A-Bitch Tribe'," Ginny said.

"I didn't say that. I said 'Slap-A-Hoe Nation'. Get it right, Ginny Weasley. Get it right," Harry said.

"You mean he put his hands on you?" Draco asked, immediately just as infuriated as Harry had been.

"Yes. And she's acting like it's no big deal," Harry said.

"It's not. I told you Dumbledore and Tonks are handling him," I said.

Draco scoffed. "I doubt either of them are going to kick his ass like it needs to be kicked."

"Exactly my point," Harry said. "Someone should kick his ass."

"_We_ should kick his ass," Draco suggested.

"Yes! Definitely," Harry said. Then he sighed. "You know, we should've gotten along a long time ago."

"You're right. It's so much easier to watch out for her when there's two of us," Draco said.

I glared at Hermione. "This is your fault." She smiled at me. "You two are not allowed to be friends."

They both scoffed. Harry got to his feet and walked over to Draco.

"We should go kick his ass just because she said that," Harry said.

"Then let's do it," Draco said.

"Yeah!"

"YEAH!"

"YEAAH!"

High fiving each other as they went, continuing to shout "Yeah" excited and loudly at each other, they walked out the room.

I groaned. "Next thing you know they're going to be wearing too tight t-shirts and calling each other 'Broseph' and 'Brosky'."

Kaitlin giggled. "I love this school."


	25. The Anatomy of A Bully

_[A/N: Hey there! This is __**IMPORTANT!**__Help an amazing charity called _**The Harry Potter Alliance**_win $250k to do amazing things! We're so close! __ They're using the money to put toward improving literacy and LBGT rights! You just have to vote for them and it only takes a little bit of time. After you vote spread the word via Twitter, Facebook, e-mail – however! Just do it. This is not a request. This a demand! Help fight against the dark arts and make my day! Voting closes July 17th!]_

_[A/N II: Because of "Irene" this chapter is for BookLover223 for not only getting the joke, but making it funnier. This time round you get 10 points for telling me where I got the name of Hannah's cat.]_

I sat on my bed in my room looking over essays for Snape's class. It was tedious work going through and correcting every wrong answer in it but somebody had to do it and as TA, I was basically his slave.

Next to me, Aria, my kitten, was attacking a toy mouse. On the floor, Draco sat, Indian style , doing homework.

Most days it was like this – Draco and me doing work together in my room. Other days, he made himself scarce, working on his project for Voldemort. He was tired all of the time, dark circles rounded his eyes and he was paler than usual.

"So, my mother wrote me this morning," Draco said suddenly.

"What about?" I asked.

"Christmas," he replied. "She doesn't want me to stay at Hogwarts. She wants me to come home."

"So what's the problem?" I asked.

"She won't be there. She'll be 'away', which I expect is just code for doing work for Voldemort with my aunt," Draco said.

"Why doesn't she want you here?" I asked.

"She wants me as far away from this school as possible for whatever reason," he said.

"Probably so you stop working on your stupid project. You're killing yourself over it," I said.

"I have to for her," Draco said.

I sat the essays aside and slid down onto the floor next to him.

"Maybe that's why she's worried for you. Because you're driving yourself out of your head for her," I said. Draco shrugged. "What if I come spend Christmas with you, that way you don't have to be alone."

He shook his head. "No. I know how much you love spending time with your family. I'll be fine."

I sighed. "I hate for you to be alone."

"I'll never be alone. As long as I have you," he said. "And I won't let you be alone ever again for the rest of forever."

"Forever's an awfully long time to have to put up with me," I said.

"I'm up to the challenge," he said.

"Prove it. Next Friday Slughorn is having a Christmas party and hues who gets to be my date," I said. Draco groaned.

"He is one of my least favorite people you know," he said.

"I know, but this important to me," I said.

"I already made plans for us that day," he said.

"To do what?" I asked.

"It was a surprise. In fact it still is a surprise cause I'm still gonna do it," Draco said.

"You're gonna do what?" I asked.

"I can't tell you! It's a surprise," he said. "Hopefully you'll like it."

"Well, I like most surprises," I said.

"Well. . . This is a really special and important surprise," he said. "You're either going to love it or hate it."

"What kind of surprise is this?"I asked.

"I can't tell you," he said.

I sighed. "Okay. At least you'll be going to Hogsmeade this Saturday, right?"

"Yes but. . ."

"But what?" I asked.

"I'm actually going to be hanging out with Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle," he said. I scoffed. "Please don't be mad. We just need some guy time."

"Guy time? We've been back together for almost a month and I don't spend any time with you outside of doing homework or studying or class," I said. "And all those 'study breaks' you take to swap spit with me, among other things, doesn't really count as spending time together either."

"I will make this up to you. I promise. I'm kind of a failure, I know. But trust, after next Friday things between you and me are going to be very different," he said.

"Promise?" I asked.

"You have the Draco Malfoy guarantee," he said. I nodded.

"I suppose that'll have to do," I said. I gave him a kiss.

"In the meanwhile. . . How about a study break?" he asked.

I laughed. "Keep it in your Malfoy. I've got essays to grade."

888

"Who're you taking to Slughorn's party?" I asked Harry as we took out some brother and sister time at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade that weekend.

"Well, I had invited Kaitlin to come with me, you know as my friend, because she was really cool when we hung out at Hogsmeade, but apparently Professor Slughorn has asked her to be in charge of entertainment," Harry said.

"And she can't very well mingle with you if she's off singing," I said.

"Correct, so I'm bringing Luna instead," he said. I giggled

"That's adorable," I said.

"I know, but she's my friend and she's cool so I thought, why not?" he explained.

"Did ever occur to you that Ginny, who is also in the Slug Club, didn't have a date and that you could've just taken her?" I asked.

". . . That never even crossed my mind," Harry said with a sigh. "But from what she told me yesterdays she's bringing Collin so she'll be fine."

"Alright then," I said.

"And I'm to assume you're bringing Draco?" he asked. I nodded. "I'm still not too keen on him all of the time but he can be an alright bloke some of the time. Where is he today anyway?"

"Off gallivanting with Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle somewhere," I said.

"Sounds fun," he replied. I nodded. "So, can I tell you something and you promise not to be weird about it?"

"Depend on what it is, but I'll do my best to react properly," I said.

Harry nodded. "So, hypothetically, how would you react if I happen to have feelings for one of our friends?"

"You don't mean Luna do you?" I asked. "She doesn't really seem your type."

"No, not Luna," he replied. "I was thinking, someone more along the lines of. . . Ginny?"

I gasped. "No! Really?" He nodded. "Since when?"

"Since the birth of the dinosaurs," he said.

"Wow. No wonder you've been so weird about her recently," I said.

"It's horrible isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Well, Ginny's my friend, like my sister and you're my brother so it's all rather incestuous in my head. However, you're a good person and Ginny would keep you in line. . . You'd probably be fantastic together," I said.

"We would be. And there is no possible way I could screw things up with her because she knows how screwed up I am," he said.

"Wow. . . You really want to get familiar with the only daughter of the Weasley clan?" I asked. "You do realize that means there'll be at least seven guys on your case about her all the time? At least with me there's only one of you."

"Yes, but you also have the Weasleys, Dumbledore, a man formerly convicted as a serial killer, an auror, and a werewolf. I'd be far more frightened to date you than I am to date Ginny," he said.

"Good thing I'm your sister and not a potential suitor then," I said. "Then you'd have to kick your own ass."

"Speaking of ass kicking," Harry said, motioning to the door. We glanced over and saw that Marius had enter. "I thought he was suspended for the rest of the semester to do community service for the ministry."

"He is, but I suppose being in Hogsmeade doesn't really count as being at school does it?" I asked.

Much to my dismay he walked over to our table.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"To say hello to my whore ex-girlfriend," he said.

"You better watch your mouth when you speak to her," Harry warned.

"I usually do in the presence of a _lady_," he said.

"You know what you are Drake?"

We glanced back over to the door where Draco had entered with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Malfoy?" Draco asked.

"You're a bully. And I know you are because it takes one to know one," he said. "You see, according to recent studies there three possible reasons you could be a bully. I know why I was, but let me lay a little knowledge on you."

"Shut your mouth," Marius said as all the other students quieted and started to stare.

"Reason number one, underneath that 'manly' exterior, there's a sweet, insecure little girl banging on the closet door pleading to get out," Draco said.

Everyone laughed as Marius leered at Draco.

"Two, like primitive man, you brain no very big," Draco said in his best caveman imitation. "You have no self control and so you lash out aggressively. And reason number three, which is probably the reason your ex-girlfriend is now my girlfriend," Draco held up his pinky and said in a loud whisper, "you've got a little cock."

I clasped my hands over my mouth as the pub fell out into uncontrollable laughter.

Marius clenched his fist at his side.

"Go on, hit me. Hit yourself into six months in Azkaban," Draco said. He walked past Marius and sat down next to me.

"You're evil," I said.

"And you love it," he said.

"I'll be honest, it's quite nice to see when you're not on the receiving end of your insults," Harry said. "I'm glad you've seen error of your ways and I'm actually quite proud your dating my sister."

"That's great because I wanted to talk to you," Draco said. He looked back at Marius. "Oh, Drake, I forgot you were there. You may go now."

888

"What on earth could they be talking about?" I whispered to Hermione outside of Harry's bedroom door.

"I don't know," she replied.

"Can you hear what they're saying?" I asked.

"No. . . but Harry is sighing an awful lot, so I know they're talking about you," she said. "Why do you even want to know? It's not like they would say anything bad about you."

"Because it's weird my boyfriend and my brother who hated each other up until two months ago are keeping secrets together and I don't know what they're about," I said.

"Look at it this way – Draco tell you everything and so does harry. And anything that Harry doesn't tell you he tells Ron, who tells you or me. In any incident, you always find out," Hermione said.

"But I want to know now," I said.

"Stop your whining," she said.

I banged on the door. "Tell me what you're talking about!"

"Go away, Hannah!" Draco called back.

I gasped. "Did you just tell me to go away, Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes, now please comply," he said.

"Ugh! Harry!" I called.

"What? Go away. We are talking," Harry said.

"But you're talking about me!" I said.

"No we're not. The world does not revolve around you," Harry said.

"Yes it does! Only for you two! I _am_ your world. I'm your most cherished, most favorite, most precious organic life form. You don't love anyone more than you love me," I said.

". . . I love my mom," Draco said.

I frowned. "But she's annoying."

"And so are you, but I love you anyway," he replied.

Hermione was laughing hysterically. "Thank goodness they're bringing you down a few notches."

"Shut the hell up," I said to her.

"Hermione, please take her away," Harry said.

"Sure BFF," she said. Hermione took my hand and pulled me away.


	26. Nutty World

_[A/N: Can I just say how amazing you guys all are? I have like a butt load of shout outs to you guys. So here goes. For guessing that the cat's name from "Pretty Little Liars": Kaitlin, lcd619and .Moony. And for finding 17 Again quotes: XxAvengingAngelxX, BloodRose64, NewProphecy, and Dreamless Girl. And of all the shout outs I dedicate this chapter to XxAvengingAngelxX because she knew what was going to happen in this chapter.]_

_[A/n II:the Harry Potter Alliance won $250k! If you voted thank you soo much!]_

"You look lovely," Hermione told me as she finished tying up the back of my corset. It was the night of Slughorn's Christmas party. "I didn't expect you to dress so nice."

"I have plans with Draco afterward," I told her.

"Doing what?" Hermione asked.

"No clue," I replied. "He never fails to surprise me. But whatever he's up to, Harry is clearly in on it."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe they're always just talking all of the time?" Hermione asked.

"Not once," I said. "I am completely suspicious and pretty much convinced that they're plotting against me."

"Oh, sweet paranoia," she said. "There you're all set."

"Thanks," I said. I straightened the tulle bottom of my black dress. It had a green ribbon going around the waist and I had paired it with green shoes and a green ribbon in my hair.

"You look like a Slytherin girl trapped in a Gryffindor's body," Hermione said.

"The Sorting Hat said the same thing," I said. "But I am one happy Gryffindor. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"Good to hear," Hermione said linking arms with me.

We walked through the castle to Slughorn's party where Draco and Ron were waiting.

"There you are," Draco said. "Always the last to arrive."

"We're late because we were making her look pretty for you. You're lucky she bothered to show up at all," Hermione said.

I giggled and gave Draco a kiss on the cheek.

"Do you want pictures?" he asked.

"Yeah definitely. Ron's mother always goes crazy over stuff like this," I said. "She's always complaining she doesn't have enough pictures of me."

"Yeah, which reminds me, she wants pictures of you too," Ron said.

". . . Me?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. One of the perks of dating Hannah," Ron said patting him on the back.

"Where's Harry and Ginny?" I asked.

"Ginny's at the photo booth with Colin and Harry is floating around here with Luna somewhere," Ron said.

Draco took my hand and walked me over to the photo booth.

Ginny was leaning against the photo booth where Colin was taking a picture of Harry and Luna.

"Well don't you two just look adorable," I said.

Harry flashed me a smile.

"See, Harry, your own sister thinks you look nice," Ginny said.

Harry flushed a bit. I took Ginny's arm.

"Can I talk to you for a minute, Gin?" I asked.

"Abandoning me already?" he asked.

"I'm sure Harry won't let anyone roofie you," I said. I pulled Ginny to the other side of the room behind a sheer curtain.

"What's up?" she asked.

"So I know you guys forbid me to play matchmaker for you," I said.

"Look, Hannah, whoever it is I'm not interested," Ginny said.

". . . Not even if that 'whoever' happens to go by the name of Harry Potter?" I asked.

Ginny chuckled. "I don't like Harry."

I nodded. "Yeah you do. You don't just snog your friends Ginny," I said. She gasped.

"He told you about that?" she asked.

"Of course he did. We're twins. We're besties," I said. "I know you fancy each other and I think it's totally perfect, like you guys are so suited for each other and yes Ron would be a prat about it but Hermione's all gung hoe for it also he's not gonna step out of line if it makes her mad. Besides, he doesn't trust anyone in the world more than he trust Harry with the exception of us and Hermione."

She sighed. "You're sure you're alright with this?"

"You're not a floozy like Cho and you're not slightly bipolar like Kristen. You're Ginny. It's like they wrapped up everything Harry needs in a girl and put it in a little red headed package. And you know Harry's a sweetheart," I said.

"You don't have to try to convince me, Hannah," Ginny chuckled. "It's just. . . I have six brothers."

"Yeah," I said. "But they all like Harry."

True," she replied.

"Then, please, date my brother," I said. Ginny laughed. "You know how pathetic he is about girls. You'll have to lead him into it."

She nodded. "Not today though. Maybe over break."

I nodded. "You won't regret this, Ginny."

"I certainly don't think I will," Ginny said. She ducked out from behind the curtain. Just as I was about to follow, Cormac ducked inside. I groaned.

"Well if it isn't my favorite skeezer, Cormac McLaggen. To what do I owe this grand pleasure?" I asked.

He laughed. "The wit of yours never ceases to amuse me."

"It's one of my more charming qualities," I said. "Again, what do you want? My date is waiting."

"Oh, yeah, you're with the Malfoy boy again since the new kid went all crazy on you," he said.

"Yeah. Who are you here with?" I asked.

"Genie," he said. I nodded. "Saw your brother brought Loony Lovegood."

"Her name is _Luna_ and she happens to be one of our best friends," I said.

"Yeah, along with Malfoy," Cormac said rolling his eyes. "I'd be careful if I were you. Some people think he's a death eater just like his father."

"Nonsense," I said.

The curtain lifted and there stood George Weasley.

"George? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Well I've been sent over here to rescue you," he said taking my hand. He pulled me away from Cormac.

"Thanks," I said. "Why are you at Hogwarts?"

He pointed to the stage where Kaitlin was currently singing a beautiful rendition of "Merry Christmas Darling."

"You're here with Kaitlin?" I asked.

"To surprise Kaitlin," he said.

"That's so sweet. Are you guys like. . . Together?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I should be so lucky."

"Aww, well that's sweet. I'm rooting for you," I said.

"Thanks," he said with a chuckle. "So, I was wondering," he motioned over to Harry and Ginny who were currently conversing over punch, "what is going on there?"

"Harry being awkward and Ginny having too many male siblings," I said. "They both paralyzed by fear so technically, nothing."

"Don't they know they're really obvious? I've only been here ten minutes and I know something's up," George said.

I shook my head. "Ginny could possibly know, Harry on the other hand is oblivious."

"Well it's Harry. I like Harry," George said. "Plus he's too afraid of Ron to try anything."

"Exactly," I said.

"Now, about you," George said.

"What about me?" I asked.

"Malfoy, he treats you well doesn't he?" George asked.

Usually I just had Harry around to be over protective of me, but every once in a while a Weasley boy would come out of the woodwork and go on about how they grew up with me and how I'm like their little sister and then I'd have a host of overprotective brother figures to deal with.

"Of course he does," I said.

"And he's turned over a new leaf?" George asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Good, and I heard he's going to be all alone this Christmas," George said.

"Sadly," I said.

"Well, my mother wants his over Christmas break," he said.

". . . You're serious?" I asked.

"Yeah, she feels bad for him honestly what with all the trouble his family's in and being alone at Christmas and you're a handful," George said.

"I am hardly the reason for his misery," I said.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Potter," George replied. "Yes, but the invitation is not negotiable."

I never thought I would see the day where Mrs. Weasley would want a Malfoy in her house and Draco had always been vehemently opposed to going to Ron's house.

"Look I'm just as blown away by this as you are but to be honest it wasn't her idea," George said. "Sirius actually suggested it."

"Sirius? My godfather Sirius who after finding out we were back together wrote me a five page letter detailing very reason why I shouldn't be with Draco?" I asked.

"The same," George said. "The world's gone nutty."

"You're telling me," I said.

"Says he wants to get to know the boy since you're pretty much going to be stuck with him forever," George said.

"Aw, do you really think that George?" I asked.

"Please. I'm surprised you didn't have a shotgun wedding the very day you got back together," he said.

"I miss you, George. Hogwarts isn't the same without you," I said.

"I know," he said. "In the meanwhile, I'll let you go back to your boyfriend and tell him of his new Christmas plans."

"Got it," I said.

I glanced back over to Ginny who was now talking to Luna, harry had vanished and as I glanced around I saw that Draco had too.

I walked over to the girls.

"Hey, have you seen Draco and Harry?" I asked.

"Draco went out in the hall. Professor Snape wanted to see him," Luna said.

"And you know how paranoid Harry is – he's off being a creeper," Ginny said with a smile

I rolled my eyes. "Honestly if he doesn't think Draco is up to something he thinks Snape is. I think he needs new enemies."

"Or for Voldemort to go away so he can stop being paranoid," Ginny suggested.

"Yes, I approve of that alternative," I said.

"So, if you and Harry are the 'Chosen Ones' how exactly are you going to go about getting rid of him?" Luna asked.

"I have no idea," I said craning my neck around to see if they had come back. "It's not like I can just walk up to the man and stab him. . . Or can I?"

"I'm glad Dumbledore is helping you. I have no idea what the world would do if you two didn't have help," Ginny said.

"Indeed," I said as Harry entered the party again. He raced over to me.

"We need to talk now," he said pulling me away.

"What?" I asked.

"Draco and Snape are-"

"Up to something? Honestly, Harry, this shtick is getting old," I said.

"But I heard them just now talking about-."

"Look, you're just being paranoid. We can talk about this later. In the meanwhile, I'm having a great night and you're not going to ruin this for me," I said. He groaned. "Please?"

"Fine. As soon as you get back from your little date with Draco we are talking," he said.

"Sounds like a plan, brother," I said. "Oh, and by the way, Draco's coming over for Christmas."

"What?" Harry asked.

"George just told me that his mom and Sirius wanted me to extend a non-negotiable invitation," I said. "I'm sure if Snape were evil and if Draco were evil, Snape would've told them not to have Draco over because it would be too dangerous wouldn't it?"

". . . I'm not convinced. Not after what I heard," Harry said.

"We'll talk later," I said seeing that Draco had come back in.

"Hannah, wait," he said, "just tonight whenever you go off with Draco on your little after party date or whatever, just. . . Think about it."

I sighed. "Harry-."

"You don't have to tell me what you and Draco are doing. Whatever you do is your business, but he talked to me about your date tonight and I told him it was okay but. . . I'm not so sure anymore," he said. I frowned at him. "Go on then."

I walked across the room to Draco who seemed rather peeved.

"What's the problem?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Nothing," he replied. "Just school stuff. Want pictures now?"

I nodded. "Sure."


	27. Unbreakable Vows

_[A/N: Miscalculated how long the last chapter was gonna be, so the dedication in this one is the same as in the last going out to __XxAvengingAngelxX__ with the addition of Mrs. Nicole Malfy. Much love!]_

_[A/n II: The Harry Potter Alliance got their $250k today in the form of a big check and press conference on TV and other awesomeness! I'm so proud of them! Thanks for voting if you did!]_

"I'm going to really irritated if the only reason you pulled me away from Slughorn's party after an hour was to shag me," I said to Draco as he finished retying the back of my dress.

"No, what do you take me for?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Oh, I should tell you, Mrs. Weasley wanted to invite you over for Christmas."

". . . Really?" he asked. I nodded. "Should I go?"

"Your attendance is not negotiable," I said.

"Oh. . ." he said.

"It was Sirius' idea to have you over. He wants to get to know you," I said.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah. George says it's because he expects you're going to be around for a really long time," I said.

"Funny you should say that," he said climbing off his bed and walking to his dresser. "Do you think we're gonna be together for a really long time?"

"Of course I do," I said.

"I'm glad to hear that," he said as he shuffled through his top drawer. Then he walked over and sat down next to me. "I love you."

"I love you," I replied.

"And you know I'll love you forever, you know, from yesterday to now until the whole of forever is over," he said. As he reached into his pocket my heart was racing in my chest. A blind man could see where this was going. "I know we're both kind of idiots and have the most horribly flawed and complicated relationship in the history of relationships but I know more than anything else in the whole world that. . . That I love you."

When he pulled out the ring I didn't look at it. I knew that if I did I wasn't going to be able to look away and that everything he said would go in one ear and out the other.

". . . Marry me, Hannah," he said.

I wanted to say yes. The yes was there stuck in my throat wanting to come out, but I left it there just for a moment. I had a split second to think about everything before I said yes.

Harry had told me to think while I was with Draco tonight. Because. . .

"Oh my god! You asked Harry if you could propose to me and he said yes?" I asked.

_-That was definitely not saying yes you idiot!-_

_*Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! I am not talking about my brother in the middle of being proposed to.*_

_-And now you're just staring at him not saying anything. That's really bad.-_

"That's so sweet that you'd ask him first. . ." I went on. Draco seemed more pleased and less confused now. I kissed Draco hoping he'd forget my word vomit. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Of course I'll marry you." I kissed him again. "Yes a thousand times, yes!"

"You were starting to scare me for a second there," he said with a light hearted chuckle. Then he slipped the ring onto my finger. It was cold, it was heavy, and it was shiny. The band was covered completely in diamonds and at the top sat a square diamond. "Do you like it? It's not too big is it?"

"Draco, it's an engagement ring," I said. "It's impossible for it to be too big."

"That's what she said," Draco said with a wink. I laughed.

"Leave it to you to crack a 'that's what she said' joke only moments after getting engaged. Iwouldn't have expected anything less from you," I said.

Draco kissed me again.

"Now, I have some stipulations," I said.

"Stipulations?" he asked.

"Yes. Two very simple conditions that must be met before I will even set a date to marry you," I said.

"Okay. . . Go on," Draco said reluctantly.

". . . You have to finish Hogwarts. All this talk about you leaving a year early is bullshit. You cannot marry me if you're going to be a failure," I said.

"Yeah, I knew you'd say that," Draco said. "But I'll do it. For you. And the second one?"

". . . You can no longer be a death eater," I said. "I want all of this to be over."

". . . Promise," he said.

". . . Can you tell me something honestly?" I asked. He nodded. ". . . Did you. . . Did you curse Katie Bell?"

Draco stared down at his feet before nodding. "And saying I feel super bad about it doesn't begin to explore the depth of the guilt that I have for almost getting her killed."

"But. . . The necklace. . . She was supposed to give it to someone. . . Even touching it would kill them," I said. ". . . Draco. . . Has Voldemort ordered you to kill someone?"

He nodded. "But I don't want to! It's just. . . I don't know what to do. I feel like if I do it and get it over it with then everything will be fine but. . . You'd hate me. Forever. You'd never forgive me."

"This project you're working on, the one you're having trouble with. . . That's how you plan to do it?" I asked. He nodded. "Then stop everything else. Make Voldemort believe you're working on that project and nothing else. If you keep trying out other things you're going to get hurt or caught. Have you done anything else that could get someone into trouble?"

He nodded. "I don't know that there's anyway I can put a stop to that one though."

"Fix it," I said. He nodded again. "Hey. . . Still love you. And I am an idiot for it, but only if you make me one. Prove me wrong."

He kissed me again as the door opened.

"Great! They're not shagging!" Hermione proclaimed. "That would've been _really_ awkward."

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked.

"We had to leave because I drank too much," Hermione giggled. "Oh, no, I think that's why Ron said it was good we were leaving. Where _is_ my boyfriend anyway?"

"Hermione why are you so drunk?" I asked.

She scoffed. "You try spending three hours with Slughorn sober – it ain't happening."

"But you were only there for two hours," Draco pointed out.

"Why the hell are you listening to anything I'm saying? I told you I'm drunk," she said. "It would be stupid to listen to a drunk person."

"You're right. What would I do without your knowledge, Hermione?" Draco asked.

Hermione perked up and then looked over to. "Did he propose yet?"

I looked over to Draco. "You told Hermione?"

"No. But obviously your brother did," Draco said.

I turned back to Hermione. "Yeah, he did."

I held out my hand so she could look at my ring, then she started weeping.

"I'm _so_ happy for you guys," she cried.

Just then Ron, Kaitlin, and Kassia appeared at the door.

"There you are, Hermione," Ron said. "Did you tell her about Harry?"

"Harry?" I asked.

Hermione cried. "They're getting married. . . And I'm _so_ happy. . ."

"You guys are getting married?" Kaitlin asked excitedly. I nodded. "Oh, I just knew it! You know, I even told George tonight. I said 'I bet he's gonna propose to her' and I was right."

"This is great and I'm happy for you and all, but did anyone tell her about Harry?" Ron asked.

"Oh, no! Harry's in Dumbledore's office with McGonagall," Kaitlin said.

"Why? What did he do?" I asked.

"He hit McLaggen straight to the moon," Hermione said.

"What for?" I asked.

"It's McLaggen. Does he need a reason?" Draco asked.

Kaitlin started to laugh.

"But she wants to see you," Kassia said.

"I'm gonna walk her to bed," Ron said taking hold of Hermione.

I turned to Draco. "I'll see you on the train tomorrow then. I have to go find out why my brother is in trouble and why I'm involved."

I kissed him goodnight and started out the Slytherin Common Room.

"So you're marrying my best friend?" Kassia asked.

"Conditionally of course. I told him he has to graduate first," I said.

"Hannah Potter, without you, he would end up a dumbass. Thank goodness for you," she said.

"I know," I said as we reached the portrait to the kitchens.

"You're through the kitchens?" Kassia asked. "You're a teacher. You don't have a curfew anymore right."

"Right," I said, "but I'm not walking all the way up to the towers in these heels. Are you coming over for Christmas?"

"Negative. I will be with Severus at Spinner's End for the holiday," she said.

"See you around then," I said.

I made my way through the kitchens, up through my room and out into Dumbledore's office.

Harry sat in front of Dumbledore's desk holding an icepack on the side of his face. McGonagall stood next to him.

"What happened?" I asked.

"There was a brief altercation between me and Cormac McLaggen," Harry said.

"Altercation indeed," McGonagall said. "He is not allowed out of the dorms tomorrow until it's time to board the train unless he's chaperoned by you."

"Perfect," I said. "Let's go, Potter. Goodnight, Professor."

I walked out of Dumbledore's office and started down to the common room.

"So, I see you completely ignored me," Harry said, taking my hand and looking at my ring.

"I did think about it, thank you very much," I said. "And I told I wouldn't marry him until after he graduated." Harry rolled his eyes. "So what'd you hear that you wanted to tell me?"

"He was talking to Snape in the hallway and they were saying things. . . Draco said that Voldemort had given him a mission and that he could do it on his own. Snape was going on about how reckless and stupid Draco was being and that Snape had sworn to Draco's mum to protect him. Used something called. . . An unbreakable vow," Harry said.

"Whoa? An unbreakable vow? Are you sure?" I asked. Harry nodded. "That's. . . Interesting."

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Basically it's a magical vow binding thing. You can't break an unbreakable vow," I said.

"What happens if you do?" Harry asked.

"You haven't guessed?" I asked. "You die."


	28. Meet the Parents

_[A/N: Hello all! Hope you all enjoyed that last chapter. I suspect you did because you ALL asked if he was going to propose. I haven't put a challenge into the past two chapters so I have one for this one. Ten cool points if you can tell me the name of the band that plays the song that Draco and Tonks sing together. Hint: If you follow me on Twitter you'll them as my favorite band.]_

"Nervous?" Emily asked Draco the next evening when we were nearly to Kingscross.

"If you're not you should be," Harry said. "Sirius is going to lay into you, especially since you guys are engaged mow. I can't believe you told him in a letter."

"You know how Sirius gets. That's not the kind of information you tell him in person. You tell him via owl then he has time to cool down before hand," I said. "Plus Lupin's back to talk him down so it'll all work out."

"Well I am nervous," Draco said.

"They're all really nice," Emily said. "They're just overly protective of Hannah for some reason."

"It couldn't possibly be because trouble follows her like stink on a hippogriff," Ginny said.

"I've been exceptionally well behaved this year though," I said stroking Aria who was sleeping on my lap.

"You're a teacher now. You have to be well behaved," Harry pointed out.

The train slowed and then came to a halt.

"Here we are," I said looking out the window. I saw Tonks and Lupin standing there, bickering about something. She looked just as miserable as when I'd last seen her. "Tonks and Lupin today kiddies. Sirius must've stayed behind."

"He probably didn't think it would be very festive kill me here in public," Draco said.

"Fast learner, this one," Ginny said giving him an encouraging pat on the back.

We walked off the train and immediately embraced Tonks who was looking weepy and pathetic.

"Wotcher," she said.

"Why are you so miserable? It's almost Christmas – the most wonderful time of the year. They wrote a song about it!" I said.

"Sorry, I'll try to be more cheery," she said. Then I hugged Lupin.

"I missed you so much! I have loads to tell you," I said.

"Yes, I know, but first thing's first," he said glancing over to Draco. "Malfoy."

"Sir," Draco said.

"You know you're lucky, getting a second chance with Hannah. With most girls you would screw up once and then they'd be done forever," Lupin said.

"Hannah's not most girls," Draco said.

Lupin nodded. "You're absolutely right. She's a lot kinder than most girls."

"That is a point easily proven," Draco said.

"You see the point I'm trying to make here is that, I love Hannah. She's like a daughter to me. You should be able to learn from your mistakes. . . And I wouldn't make the same mistake twice," Lupin said.

"Don't sound so threatening, Remus," Tonks said. "You'll have to excuse him. He's over his period but he has PMS lag."

"Oh, yeah, you're one to talk," Lupin said.

"Do not _make_ me kick your ass in front of all these children," she said.

"Moral of the story Draco. . . If you break Hannah's heart I will be forced to break your. . . arm or your leg or fucking kneecaps. Are we clear?" Lupin asked.

". . . Crystal clear, sir," Draco said.

"Excellent. Now we're not going to the Burrow. We're actually going to Grimmauld today," Lupin said. "Hannah, please share with you _fiancé_ the location and assure him that if he tells anyone about this place he will surely regret it."

We started on our way and Draco looked even paler than usual.

"No worries, babe. It'll be fine," I said. "Though he did respond how I expected Sirius to and I don't really know how Sirius will react if Lupin blew up at you like that. . ."

"I feel like this was a bad idea and that I should go home," Draco said.

"No, you'll be fine. And remember number 12 Grimmauld place," I said.

Draco nodded.

When we got to Grimmauld we all immediately unpacked as Sirius was with Mrs. Weasley bringing stuff from the Burrow.

"Tonks," I called to her as she walked past my room.

"Yes," she said.

"How do you feel about me and Draco?" I asked.

"I approve of him. He's an alright guy. And if you love him and trust him then I will too," she said. "However, do not make the mistake of thinking that I don't worry because I do. Not just about him but about you. I'm glad you're waiting for him to graduate among _other_ things before you marry him but. . . I don't want you to screw things up before then."

"And by that you mean what?" I asked.

"You're 16 Hannah, and far more adventurous than I was when I was 16," she said. "You know exactly what I mean."

"Okay so I do," I said.

"And I'm not an idiot. Sirius and Remus aren't either. It'd be stupid for us not to know what you two were up to," she said.

"Tonks-."

"If you stand here and tell me that you're not I'm going to hit you in the mouth for lying to me," she said.

"Fine," I said. "And don't worry, I know you're too young to be a pseudo-grandmother."

"Thanks," she said.

I heard someone enter the kitchen.

"Sounds like Sirius is home," Tonks said. "I'd talk to him before anyone else gets down there."

"Good idea," I said.

I walked back to the boys room and knocked on the door. It opened and Draco appeared.

I took his hand. "Sirius is here."

"Good luck," Harry chuckled.

"Piss off," I said.

I pulled Draco downstairs to the kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley was standing by the door and saw us first.

"Hannah! Draco! Hello!" she said. She walked over and Kissed us both on the cheek. She shook her head at Draco. "Look at the state of you. You're as thin and tall as Harry. But we can fix that." Draco chuckled. "Oh, and congratulations you two!" She hugged us tightly again and then turned to Draco. "You're going to take care of her and treat her well otherwise no one will let you forget about it."

"Yes, ma'am," Draco said.

"Good," she said patting him on the cheek. "Welcome to the family."

"Thank you," he replied.

She walked past us out of the kitchen.

"She is quite possibly the kindest woman on the planet," Draco said.

"Except when she's angry," Sirius said. He walked over and extended his hand. "Hello Mister Malfoy. I'm Sirius."

"Nice to meet you, Sir," Draco said shaking his hand.

"So, you're the man who intends to try to marry my best friend's daughter," Sirius said.

"Yes, sir," Draco said.

Sirius nodded. "I see. . . And why given your history not to mention your _family_ history I must say I'm not particularly keen on the idea."

"That's completely fair for you to feel that," Draco said.

"So you know that most of the things I've heard about you have been negative?" Sirius asked.

"Not recently I hope," Draco chuckled.

"No of course not because you're 'a changed man' as Hannah said in her letter," Sirius said. "And I'll believe it. And I'll even accept this unholy union you two are going to bring yourselves into eventually. But know this Malfoy, you won't hurt Hannah ever or again or I'll show you pain. The hue of your soul will not matter because I will make it so that you simply cease to exist."

_*Did Sirius really just threaten Draco's mortal soul.*_

_-Indeed he did.-_

". . . Yes sir. . ." Draco said unsurely.

"Good," he said. "Now, I need to have a chat with Hannah if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Draco said. He scooted out of the kitchen and headed back upstairs.

"You really outdid yourself there. And I thought when Lupin threatened him it couldn't get any worse," I said.

"Oh, come off it. The boy needs a good scare," Sirius said.

"He was scared of you already," I said.

"Well then he'll be doubly scared," Sirius said. "And anyway, what's with all this marrying business."

"Relax, it won't be until after he graduates. That was the arrangement. I want to make sure he's going to finish school and that he stops work for the Death Eater in Chief," I said.

"And you're sure he will?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said. "You do trust me don't you?"

"Absolutely not. I don't trust you as far as I can throw," he said. I scoffed. "I'm just being honest. And I don't trust him either. I want to make sure you're making the right decision."

"I am making the right decision. I know I am," I said.

"Fine then," Sirius said. "Just one more thing we need to be clear of."

"I'm pretty sure you're about to start going on about Chlamydia again so we can just leave that part out and say that I've come to an understanding about what you're going to tell me," I said.

"And not just that. . . It's. . . It's Lydia. I don't want you to end up that way. Especially considering the complicated and dangerous mess that is your life. It doesn't need another person brought into it," Sirius said. "It would genuinely break my heart if that happened to you. I wouldn't know how to handle that."

I nodded. Sirius was suddenly getting all deep on me. I wasn't sure how to react.

"You and Malfoy are going to do whatever you want to do despite how any of us feels about it," Sirius said. "And while I strongly encourage you to stop and not do it anymore if you must _for the love of God_, do _not_ get pregnant or you will see me much angrier than you have ever seen me. And you've pretty much made me the angriest out of anyone I've ever known, save for my mother of course."

"Got it," I said.

888

"So why did you punch Cormac in the face?" Ginny asked at dinner that night.

"It's Hannah's fault," Harry said. "You know what the newest name they've come up for you is?"

"'Miss-I-Like-To-Slut-A-Lot', yeah I heard it," I said. "I kind of miss Parkinson. She wasn't nearly uncreative with the name calling."

"Right, but Cormac walks up to me at the party and is asking about where Hannah is. So I tell him, 'she left about an hour ago with Draco' and he's all like 'yeah, Miss I Like to Slut A Lot is back with her old shag buddy' and I'm like 'how dare you talk about my sister that way?' and he's like 'well it's true cause your sister's easy' and then I warned 'keep and I'm going to' – excuse my language 'break your fucking face open. My sister is not like that' so then he says, and excuse my language again, 'well if it's not true then why'd I fuck your sister?' So I punched him square in his jaw and he returned the favor as proof of the bruise on the side of my face, but I then broke his nose and blacked his eye and then George pulled me off him and then Snape threw us out," Harry explained.

"It would've happened eventually anyway. If Cormac wasn't saying something about me he'd have done something to make you angry," I said.

"True. His mere existence is enough to make you want to punch him in his mouth," Ron said. "Draco already broke his nose over the summer."

"But that was again, over Hannah," Harry said.

"Wow, you cause trouble even when you don't mean to," Lupin said."

"As such is her nature," Emily said.

"So, Draco," Mrs. Weasley said, "we hardly know anything about you. Tell us about yourself."

"Oh, there's not much to tell," Draco said.

"Oh, nonsense. Are you a good student?" Tonks asked.

"Mediocre at best," he replied.

It probably was a good response considering as of the end of this term he was on academic probation.

"What do you plan to do when you're done with Hogwarts?" Lupin asked.

"I wish I knew," Draco said. "I'm directionally challenged."

"Know what that's like," Sirius said with a nod.

"What kind of music do you listen to?" Tonks asked.

"My taste in music is rather dated actually," Draco chuckled.

"It can't be that dated. Like, do you know all the words to the Spice Girls or all the words to 'Come On Eileen'?" Tonks asked.

"'Come On Eileen' and I love that song by the way," Draco said.

"Ah! Me too!" she cheered. "Uhm. . . Let me think of a good one you probably don't know. . . '_I can't go for being twice as nice. I can't go for just repeating the some old lines_'."

"'_Use the body now you want my soul. Ooh, forget about it say no go_'," Draco finished.

Tonks squealed with delight. "You are my new favorite cousin."

"Whoa! So I get the axe just like that?" Sirius asked. "He walks in here with his blond hair and his eighties music and I'm out just like that?"

"Pretty much," she said.

"You're still my favorite godfather Sirius," I said.

Sirius scoffed. "I'm your only godfather."

"Ergo, my favorite," I said.

He scoffed again. "This wouldn't happen if you hadn't brought him here."

"You invited him," I said.

". . . You win this round, Potter," Sirius said.


	29. Christmas Eve at the Burrow

Veronica and Dana skipped into Grimmauld Place.

"Hey! We're here!"Veronica said.

"Better late than never. You were supposed to be here hours ago," Emily said.

"Oh, hush up," Dana said.

"Did you bring Danielle?" Harry asked.

"Sure did. She's upstairs unpacking," Veronica said. She looked over to Draco. "Bugger me, you're like the spittin' image of Lucius aren't you?"

"No, Lucius wasn't nearly so handsome," Dana said.

"But you must be Draco. I'm Veronica, Danielle's aunt and Harry and Hannah's godmother," Veronica introduced herself.

"And I'm Dana. I'm Emily's mother," Dana said.

"And just so you know, don't worry about marrying Hannah. Sirius and Remus are harmless. They will not follow through on the threats I'm sure they've given you," Veronica said.

"Oh, it's fine. The fear of being murdered keeps me on my toes," Draco said.

"He's adorable," Dana said. "I approve."

"So, I hear you play Quidditch don't you?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah. I'm Captain of Slytherin. I play seeker," Draco said.

"Draco's got the second most wins of any seeker in the past five years," I boasted.

"I wonder who could have the most wins," Harry said.

"Probably the same kid who choked on a snitch his first game," Draco said. "You're the only seeker I know who plays with the grace of a wide mouthed toad."

"That joke wasn't funny in first year and it's not funny now," Harry said, laughing.

"then why are you laughing?" Draco asked laughing.

"Because it is kind of funny now that I don't hate your guts and all," Harry said.

888

"Do _any_ cute guys work at the ministry?" Danielle asked later that evening. I was sitting in the lounge with the girls listening to them talk.

"Why?" Tonks asked.

"All the dudes I see there are either old or ugly," Danielle said.

"Well I suppose there are a few nice looking gentlemen there. I don't really pay attention," Tonks said.

"Yes, Tonks chooses to set her sights elsewhere," Veronica said.

"Shut up you," Tonks said.

"Yes, Tonks has grown up past the point where she's shallow," Dana said.

"Are you saying we're shallow, mum?" Emily asked.

"Well you girls kind of are," Tonks said.

"How? Danielle won't date anyone with grades lower than hers. Emily is marrying Fred. Ginny is-."

"No, Hannah, I'll be honest. I'm a little bit shallow," Ginny said.

"Interested in anyone Ginny?" Dana asked.

Ginny looked over to me and we both giggled.

"Oh, tell us," Tonks said. "We won't tell."

"No way. I couldn't," Ginny said shaking her head.

"Oh, you must not be sure if he fancies you then," Veronica said.

"No, he definitely likes me," Ginny said,

"How d'you know?" Emily asked.

"We made out like once or. . . Four times," she said.

"Four Ginny? I only heard about one," I said.

She shrugged.

"Well if you like each other why aren't you together?" Tonks asked.

"Because I have six brothers," she said.

"Well that never stopped you before," Danielle said.

"Yeah, but if Ginny went out with this guy they would all have a conniption and more than likely try to strangle him," I said.

"Why? Is he in Slytherin?" Dana asked.

"No. I'm not Hannah," Ginny said.

"I love you too," I said rolling my eyes.

"Then who is it?" Tonks asked.

"Yes, I want to know too," Emily said.

Ginny sighed. "Okay, so it's. . . Harry."

"Shut up! No way," Dana said.

"I totally should've seen this coming. No wonder you two've been being all weird this year," Emily said. "Harry's so sweet though."

"But it's so against the rules. It's like, you don't date your best friend's sister. Ever, that would be like if I were with Ron. It's not cool," I said. "And to be honest, when Harry first told me he had feelings for Ginny I wasn't completely comfortable with it. I'm still not. It's weird but – come on they're so good for each other."

"Look, that's enough about me and my life. I'll work things out with Harry in my own time," Ginny said. "Hannah, tell me, how are things with Draco."

"You know how things are with Draco," I said.

"I'm going to ask you something and I want you to be honest about it," Tonks said, "do you really love Draco?"

"Of course I do," I said. "Like. . . have you ever thought of your future and felt painful anxiety if you tried to imagine it without someone there? Or like have you had a bad night but just before you fell asleep they popped into your head and your whole horrible day just seemed to disappear? And sometimes you ramble on about something ridiculous and stupid and you stop yourself because you don't even make sense to yourself but they're able to tell you exactly what you were thinking? And they can smile at you or tease you and poke fun at you and even though you should be angry you can't help but laugh. . ."

I stopped talking. I felt like I was embarrassing myself.

"Adorable," Tonks said.

"Do you know anyone who makes you feel that way Tonks?" Veronica asked.

Tonks leered at her and got to her feet. "I guess that's my signal to head home."

"Aw, don't go, Tonks, please," I begged.

"No, I'll be back tomorrow," she said.

"No, you can't go. You have to tell us who this you're going on about is," Ginny said. "I told you."

"This is completely different. I am an adult. I don't have to tell you anything," Tonks said.

"That just means we probably know who he is," Emily said.

"What? No you do not. Why?" she asked.

"Because if we didn't know who it was there would be no harm in telling us because we'd never meet them anyway," Ginny said.

"So you're lying. Tell us who it is," I said.

"No," Tonks said. "It's none of your business."

"It would probably relieve a great deal of your stress if you just told him how you feel," I said.

"Not that it matters but I have," she said.

"Wait? So someone rejected you? You? Really? I find that hard to believe," Danielle said.

"I was not rejected," Tonks said.

"So you like each other and you're not together?" I asked. "Why? Is he like older than you or something?"

"What does that matter how old he is?" Tonks asked as Veronica and Dana laughed.

"Well you look like the kind of woman who might be into older guys and he might like you but feel weird about it because you're younger," I said.

"Wow, right on the money," Dana said.

"She's more and more like Lily everyday," Veronica said.

"Look, drop it everyone, even you two," Tonks said motioning to a giggling Veronica and Dana. "And you Hannah, Queen of prying and figuring things out you stop because you know too much already."

"Fine," I said.

"I'm going to get something to drink. Do you guys want anything?" Tonks asked.

". . . That explains your hair," I said.

"What?" Tonks asked.

"I mean, I thought maybe you were really stressed out and that's why your abilities have been off, but I hardly suspect that to be the reason anymore," I said.

Tonks cleared her throat. "Stop prying. Now."

888

"I've never made a gingerbread house before," Draco said Christmas eve. We were spending Christmas Eve and Christmas at the Burrow and since we'd been at Grimmauld so much we were in a rush to make the house look nice for Christmas.

"Really?" I asked.

"It's alright. I didn't even get gifts for Christmas until I was 11," Harry said.

"You also slept under your stairs until you were 11," I said.

"Touché," he said.

"What kind of stuff did you do at your house on Christmas?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

Draco shrugged. "Nothing really. The house was always decorated and everything but usually life just went on as usual. I never decorated anything. Never hung any stocking. Never had Christmas dinner. None of that."

"You poor deprived thing," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Ewe, Hannah, look at this," Ron said. I walked over to him at the tree and he held up and ornament that had our picture in it from when I spent my first Christmas with the Weasleys.

"Oh! Look at us! We don't have any teeth," I said. "And that's my first Weasley sweater. We had to be like seven, Ron."

"You guys have been inseparable," Fred said.

"Yeah, and Hannah's always been better looking than you too," George said. I laughed.

"What's your favorite Christmas memory, Malfoy?" Sirius asked.

Draco shrugged. "Dunno. I don't really do much with my parents. Other than that I've been at Hogwarts so. . . Can't say that I have one."

"Aw, that's so sad. I'm gonna make this the best Christmas ever for you," Emily said giving Draco a hug.

"Uh, thank you Emily," Draco said.

"Do you guys remember our fifth year Christmas?" Veronica asked.

"When you almost burned my house down and Lily lost her mind?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, it was so funny," Dana said. "James accidentally dropping that hot poker on the dead Christmas and it exploded into flames."

"Everyone was running around all crazy like, it spread to the carpet," Lupin said.

"Thank goodness Narcissa was paying attention or it would've been a disaster," Veronica asked.

"And you remember dinner the first night where Lily almost attacked her?" Sirius laughed. "That's still like number three in my top ten favorite memories ever."

"Your mum almost attacked my mom?" Draco asked.

"It was hilarious! Let me tell you. We were all at Sirius' house for Christmas, us, Lily, James, your parents, Wormtail, and Snape and your mum made dinner," Dana said. "So,your mum made dinner and as an attempt to try for some civility in a house full of people who loathed each, Lily compliments your mother dinner and your mom totally spits it back in her face."

"Lily's like 'what did I ever do to you?' and Narcissa is like 'you exist'. Then Lily went off the wall. Sirius is like telling her to calm down but Lily and Narcsissa are going back and forth. And then Lily lunges across the table at her. Remus had to scramble to pull her down," Veronica went on.

"Finally, your mum is like 'well you're a mudblood and your kids'll be mudbloods and always' and so Lily says, this makes the story really funny present day, 'well I hope our kids meet, fall in love and procreate so all of your descendants will be mudbloods too, so fuck you Narcissa.' And then she reaches over to your mum's plate and flips it over and says 'and your fucking chicken is dry'. And she stomps away," Dana laughed.

"So that's where Hannah gets her attitude from," Draco said. I rolled my eyes.

"My favorite Christmas was last year," Ron said.

"I liked Christmas Eve," Tonks said.

I groaned. "I _hated_ Christmas Eve. I'm trying so hard to repress it. Dinner was horrible."

"Remember your Lupin poem?" George asked. I scoffed.

"Don't even talk about that," I said.

"What poem?" Veronica asked.

"That poem will not be recited again by anyone under pain of death," I said.

"It was still so cute," Tonks said.

"What poem?" Draco asked.

"It's not important," I said.

"What is important is that Hannah had the most adorable crush on Lupin," Tonks said.

"I wish you could've heard the poem," Lupin said.

"I wish you could've heard Tonks and Lupin singing 'Barbie Girl'," I retorted.

"Okay, so maybe it was pretty hellish for everyone involved," Tonks said.

"I'm sorry but I definitely got the bulk of everyone's crap last year," I said. "Sirius was going to strangle me over Draco, the whole Barbie Girl thing, Harry and Cho, you teased me about playing Quidditch."

"Oh! Ron and Hermione have been together a whole year!" Ginny suddenly exclaimed.

"By gum you're right," Mrs. Weasley said.

"You and Hermione, a whole year. We were sure you would've killed each other by now," Harry said.

"The way you two always went at it," Danielle said. "Back and forth all of the time."

"You were even arguing when you hooked up," I said.

Ron nodded.

"Does someone miss their Hermione?" Emily asked. "Go on admit it Ron. Swallow your stupid pride before you choke on it and admit you miss her. We all want to hear you say it. You miss Hermione."

". . . Yea. . . I guess I do," he said, turning red.

"Awe," Ginny said. "Don't feel bad Ron. Remember how emo Hannah was last year?"

"Oh, yeah Draco. Give yourself a pat on the back. She was a Scrooge last year on Christmas Eve she missed you quite terribly," Sirius said.

"Oh! And that card you sent her made me want to kill myself," Ginny said.

"Why?" Lupin asked.

"Because they are the most disgustingly cute couple ever. Right alongside Emily and Fred," Ginny said.

"We are not disgustingly cute," Fred said.

"You are. You blow kisses at each other which I can't stand and then you really irk me by catching them and putting them in your pocket," Ginny said. She turned to me and Draco. "You two with the petnames."

"We don't have any," we protested.

"Yes you do! You don't notice it because you've incorporated it into your vocabulary. You just naturally call each other 'Babe' and 'Love' when you see each other," Ginny said.

"You're just jealous," I said.

"Puh-lease," Ginny droned.


	30. Lydia Morgan Black

_[A/N: Imagine my surprise when I go to post chapter 31 that I haven't posted this chapter yet. *face plam* Anyway. Shout out to Vampire-Angel1996 and XxAvengingAngelxX for knowing that the song last chapter was by Hall & Oates. Yes they are my favorite band. I know that's weird.]_

By mid-afternoon, Mr. Weasley had George, Harry, Draco and Ron, outside getting rid of Gnomes. Emily had gone with Fleur to do "wedding stuff". Danielle, Sirius and Veronica had taken Dana and they were home wrapping presents. The remaining Weasley children were still decorating the Christmas tree.

I sat in the kitchen with Tonks, Lupin and Mrs. Weasley enjoying the smell of tonight's dinner that was already on the stove.

"You'd think after chasing them away so many times the gnomes would stop coming back," I said.

"Well gnomes aren't the brightest of beast now are they?" Tonks asked.

"I guess not," I said.

"Malfoy seems to be enjoying kicking them though," Lupin said. "Ron seems to be showing him and Harry the proper technique to kicking them. . . Oh yes. That one went much farther than the last on he kicked."

Mrs. Weasley sighed. "I told them not to be kicking those gnomes."

"You know guys don't listen," I said.

"True," Tonks said. Lupin turned and glared at both of us we giggled.

We heard something crash and break in the living room.

"Oh, crap!" Ginny shouted. Mrs. Weasley sighed.

"What on earth have they gotten themselves into this time?" she asked leaving the kitchen.

"Not all of us are incapable of listening," Remus said.

"Well you were a marauder when you were in school. Your entire existence was built upon not listening," I pointed out.

"Yes, you did just about everything under the sun, except for streaking," Tonks said.

". . . I don't want to know where that came from," I said.

Mrs. Weasley came back into the room.

"Troublemakers," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Well at least she's having fun," Lupin said.

Mrs. Weasley chuckled. "When I first met you all I remember Sirius telling me how he couldn't get you to go near the Quidditch pitch."

"No. I was never a Quidditch player," Lupin said.

"I always wanted to play Quidditch. . . I was never any good," Tonks said.

"Hannah used to get terrible motion sickness when she'd fly. Poor dear would either get dizzy and fall off her broom or she'd. . . Well, let's just say she got rather sick," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I know that first hand," Lupin said.

"But you played quidditch last year," Tonks said.

"Well lucky for me my composure isn't as weak as it was when I was little," I said. "I didn't get better until my second year of school."

"Poor thing. . . Flying was always my worst class," Tonks said.

"Well dear with your balance," Mrs. Weasley said.

"You know I like to think my balance has gotten better since you've known me, Molly," Tonks said.

"Well of course you've come a long way from falling and busting your nose on the concrete when Bill was trying to introduce you to me," Molly laughed.

"So I had a bad first impression," Tonks said. "I was 11."

"Your second impression isn't all that fantastic either," Lupin said.

"You can't be serious," Tonks said.

"Yes, I remember, wasn't it that the front door got jammed?" Molly asked.

"Yes, yes. The door got jammed, I tried to push it open and I fell through it," Tonks said.

"Right into Remus. Would've broken your nose if he hadn't been standing there to catch you," Mrs. Weasley explained.

"He seems to do that a lot," I said.

"Lucky we share a flat now I guess. I won't get hurt nearly as much," Tonks said.

"Except in the bathroom," I said.

"What?" Lupin asked.

"Well you can't go with her into the bathroom now can you? And I read that in the United States, nearly 200,000 of all accidents in the home occur in the bathroom. That's 70 percent of all in home accidents over there. But still that is a frighteningly large number and you are you after all," I said.

"How do you know these things?" Lupin asked.

"That is a frighteningly large number," Mrs. Weasley said. "Be careful in the bathroom Tonks."

"Now I'm not that accident prone," Tonks said.

"Yes you are. Remember that time you almost fell off the banister at Grimmauld?" Lupin asked.

"Or when you destroyed the kitchen and nearly killed me?" I asked.

"And the countless times you tripped over the umbrella stand," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Okay, okay, okay, so I'm a walking accident," Tonks admitted. "But I'm getting better."

"You keep telling yourself that," Lupin scoffed.

"Just remember who's going to have to take me to St. Mungo's if I almost die," Tonks said.

"Lucky me," Lupin said.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who could that be?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

I hopped up and went to the door.

"Whozit?" I asked.

"Um, Dumbledore told me to say 'sassafrass'," the girl said.

"She's good, let her in," Tonks said.

I opened the door. There stood a tall dark haired woman with dark eyes, a round face, thin lips, and small nose.

_*She's gorgeous.*_

_-I know-_

"Hi, I know this is weird and I've come unannounced, but Dumbledore told me I might be able to find Sirius and Veronica here," the girl said.

"We'll they're away at the moment. Can I ask what business you're here on?" I asked.

She cleared her throat. "Yes, um, this will also be strange, but um, my name Lydia and unless this birth certificate I have here is wrong, they're my parents."

My jaw dropped as she placed the birth certificate in my hand.

"Ho-ly crap," I said. I looked up at her. "Um, I'm Hannah. I'm their goddaughter. Come in."

"Who is it, Hannah?" Tonks asked.

"Guys. . . This is Lydia. . . Morgan. . . Black," I said.

Tonks and Lupin's eyes widened.

"Shut up! No way!" Tonks said.

"Are you really?" Lupin asked.

"Yes," she said.

"I'm sorry, but who is Lydia?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Sirius and Veronica's daughter they gave up for adoption when they were 16," I said.

"Oh. . . I had no idea," Mrs. Weasley said.

"We'll just go and get them," Tonks said, pulling Remus to his feet.

They disapparated leaving me alone with Mrs. Weasley and Lydia.

"I'll just. . . go," Mrs. Weasley said. She walked out the kitchen. Lydia and I exchanged awkward glances.

"Oh, sit down," I said pulling out a chair for her.

"Thanks," she said sitting with me.

"So. . . This is really out of the blue," I said.

"I know. I've been looking for them since the summer, when I found out that Sirius wasn't actually a murderer," Lydia said.

"Oh, nice. They're great people. I only just met Veronica but I've known Sirius a few years. He's like a dad to me. Over protective and everything," I said. "I know he misses you too. I don't know if you know much about the Black family but having a kid at 16 was not an option for them and it broke his heart to give you away."

Lydia nodded. "You don't have to try to make excuses for them. I harbor no bad feelings for growing up in an orphanage. I had a good life even though I wasn't adopted. I lived in Wales and I went to school in Italy and I can speak French and Italian and Spanish. I just moved to England about a month ago. I was a Hit Wizard in Italy for two years and was offered a transfer here while I study for the auror qualifying exam."

There was a pop. Sirius, Veronica, Tonks and Lupin apparated into the kitchen.

I turned to Lydia. "Nice meeting you. I'm going to go outside."

I stood from my chair, flashed Sirius and Veronica an encouraging smile, grabbed my coat and went outside.

888

"His daughter?" Harry asked.

"Yep," I said.

"Why didn't he ever tell us?" Harry asked.

"Perhaps there are some things he'd rather not talk about," Ginny said.

"Exactly," I agreed. "Besides, it's not as if he ever expected her to come find him or anything."

"What do you think is going to happen now?" Ron asked.

"What do you mean what's going to happen? It's not like things are going to change," Harry said.

"Yeah, I mean, just because his long lost daughter comes around doesn't mean we're gonna edged out," I said.

"Yep, he's still going to have the same old shit fit every time Hannah and Draco do something inappropriate," Ginny said.

"I'd rather not talk them being inappropriate together. As they say 'what you don't know won't hurt you' and I don't want to know," Harry said.

"I'm sure there's lots you don't want to know about," Ginny said.

"Ginny, stop talking about it," Harry said covering his ears.

"Hey you guys, she's leaving," Danielle said. We'd been sitting in Ron's room in the attic for the longest time while Sirius and Veronica talked to her downstairs.

"Do you think it's okay to go down there?" Harry asked.

"No, if we go down there now they'll know we were listening and watching," I said.

"Have you always been a professional eaves dropper?" Draco asked.

"Yes," I said. "That's why no one can keep secrets from me."

"I'd give them a little space," Danielle said. "This is a huge deal to them you know. They may take care of us because our parents are dead and all but. . . That's their real kid and she was kind of taken from them without their say."

"It all depends on how much she wants to be involved with them and how much they want to get to know her," I said. I shrugged. "You don't think we'd get edged out do you?"

"No way. Lydia's an adult. We've still got school and junk. They still have to take care of us and everything," Danielle said.

"Stop your fretting you three," Draco said. "Just because someone new has come into the picture doesn't mean that you'll get neglected or loved any less. You sound like they're having a baby and you're not going to be the center of attention anymore."

"Says the boy who's an only child," Danielle said.

"You're an only child too," Draco said.

"Dude, Harry and Hannah are technically my godsiblings," Danielle said.

Draco scoffed. "That doesn't count."

"Drop it you two. We don't need a fight. It's Christmas Eve. It's supposed to be a happy day," Ron said.

The trap door open and Tonks popped up.

"Hello there," she said.

"How'd it go?" I asked.

". . . Interesting for lack of a better word, but she's a nice girl. I like her," Tonks said. "She runs a carnival in London as a side job and we're going to go to it on New Year's Eve."

"Sounds fun," Ron said.

"Yep. And Sirius and Veronica have gone off to have tea with her and chat a little more so unfortunately they will not be joining us for dinner tonight," Tonks said.

"Tonks, you don't think things are going to change now do you?" Danielle asked.

She shrugged. "Only for the better I can assume."


	31. Christmas Eve Hell Take Two

_[A/N: Yay! Two chapters in less than 10 minutes! My memory sucks but I guess that's good for you guys right? Anywho, enjoy!]_

"How do you survive getting hit in the head with a bludger?" Dana asked rubbing her head as Draco retold the story of my first Quidditch match.

"I was unconscious for a long time," Draco said.

"I was trying to tell you to move but you were too busy yelling at me to actually turn around and look," Ginny said.

"Well he looked. . . Eventually," I said.

"Our Slytherin versus Gryffindor games were never that intense," Dana said.

"They were just mad because we won the house cup our first year because we pulled out of a 200 point nose dive," I said.

"How'd you lose 200 hundred house points?" Dana asked.

"Hagrid had a dragon named Norbert and Harry, Hermione and I snuck out of bed in the middle of the night to give him to Charlie to take him to Romania and we'd told Neville because he asked where we were going and he was out of bed trying to stop us and he lost 50 house point and then we got caught and lost 50 fifty house points each and it would have never happened if Neville hadn't told someone and he told on us," I said pointing at Draco. "But he got detention and lost house points as well."

"You told on them?" Dana asked.

"I didn't like them first year. It was my intention to get them kicked out since I'd met them, well, Harry and Hannah anyway," Draco said.

"And now you're getting married?" Dana asked.

"Yeah, ain't love grand?" I asked.

There was the whistle of the tea kettle in the kitchen.

"Hannah, could you be a dear and go make tea?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

I nodded and walked into the kitchen. For the first time I wish I had denied Mrs. Weasley request.

In the kitchen sat Tonks, Lupin and Bill. By this point in time it had become apparent that whenever Tonks and Lupin were left alone long enough, they ended up having a row.

Now was no different, except Bill was trying to mediate, but it wasn't working very well.

"I'm being unreasonable? You're the one that's being unreasonable," Tonks said. "They're just walls."

"The colors are too outlandish. They make me want to have a seizure," Lupin said.

"Oh, please. You won't have a seizure. You're in a perfectly healthy state," Tonks said.

"What do you know about the state of my health?" he asked.

"I know all about it, Wolfboy," Tonks said.

"Stupid hair," Lupin retorted.

"Quadruped."

"Mutant."

"Dillhole."

"Biped."

"Jerkwad."

"Hufflepuff House reject."

Tonks glared at Lupin and not a second later stormed out of the kitchen into the living room.

"You know how she gets about Hufflepuff," Bill said.

This was almost heart breaking the way they fought.

I walked over to the stove and took the kettle from the fire and turned the stove off.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You and Tonks?" I asked. "All you do is argue with each other and when you're not arguing you're not speaking or you'll be fine for two seconds and then you argue. And when you have to get along you make yourselves get along. It's like you were never friends at all."

Lupin shook his head. "Hannah, don't make this your problem."

"I'm not. I'm concerned about you," I said. "You haven't been yourself at all recently."

"I'm sorry this is making you feel this way Hannah but, in time Tonks and I will work through this little dispute we're having," Lupin said.

"I'd hardly call it little. You've been at each other's throats since August," I said.

"Why does it affect you so?" Lupin asked.

"Because you were happy and she was happy and you were best friends. You got a long so well and it made me happy to see everyone else happy when the rest of the world was so terribly emo and now I don't even have that anymore. You guys just remind me so much of someone. . . Like. . ." I dropped the glass in my hand and turned around to Lupin, after having come to a realization.

Lupin waved his wand and it restored itself onto the table.

"Hannah, what's come over you?" he asked.

"You. . . You and Tonks remind me of Hermione and Ron, before they started going out," I said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lupin asked.

"It all makes sense now. All Hermione and Ron did was fight and argue and fuss at each other all the time. Right up to the very moment they got together," I said. "It is my thought, Mister Remus John Lupin that you have a thing for Miss Nymphadora Lynnette Tonks. In fact I don't think it, I know it."

"You're very intuitive," Lupin said.

"So you admit it! You do like her," I said. "Well it all makes sense. . . No. . . You're an adult you're supposed to be better at this than a bunch of teenagers. Why aren't you two together?" I asked.

"Three reasons, I'm too old, too poor, and too dangerous," Lupin said.

"Three very valid points," I said. "Well that explains why you're fighting because Tonks doesn't care."

"How do you know everything?" Lupin asked.

"I pay attention. . . sometimes too much," I said pouring the hot water into the mugs. "Mrs. Weasley will be wanting this tea. . . Excuse me."

I walked out the kitchen and back into the living room, setting the tea down on the coffee table. My eyes scanned the room for Tonks.

Bill came over to help me with the tea.

"She's upstairs," he whispered. I nodded, excused myself and went upstairs. I went to Tonks room and knocked on her door.

"Come in," she said softly. I stepped inside to see that she had changed into her pajamas and was now pulling her hair back into a pony tail. She didn't nearly as upset as she had when I'd seen her in the kitchen. "Hello, Hannah. What do you need?"

I closed the door behind me and walked inside.

"I know. . . Everything. . . About you and Lupin I mean. . . I sort of. . . Figured it out," I said.

Tonks sighed.

"I figured you would. You don't listen," she said.

"No, I do, I mean. . . It's just. . . I knew you two weren't getting along and I knew you weren't doing so well and it never occurred to me to put two and two together," I said. ". . . I can see now that you can't morph like you used to, not because you're under stress but. . . Because he's breaking your heart isn't he?"

Tonks was silent for a moment. She stared at me and then looked away.

"He thinks I deserve someone better than him," she said. I was surprised that she was telling me this especially because she was so desperate to not tell me anything before. "I don't care though. . . He does. He's too stubborn. . . I'm too persistent. . . We're stuck here until something. . . One of us decides to give in."

I nodded. "Out of curiosity, does Sirius know about all this."

Tonks scoffed. "Sirius probably knew before we did."

888

Instead of the sound of Christmas bells, I was woken up by the sound things breaking and crashing through windows downstairs. I sat stark up right in my bed as did Ginny.

"What was that?" I asked.

"No idea," Ginny replied.

Suddenly the window in our room smashed. We both ducked down in the bed, covering our heads.

I sat up and looked around the room and then saw what had been chucked through the window. On the floor were several venomous tentaculas.

I grabbed Ginny and pulled her back.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Tentaculas," I said. "Do _not_ touch them. They're very poisonous."

"What do we do?" Ginny asked as the plants were stretching out their vines to grab us.

"Be very still," I said. "And of course our wands are on the other side of the room."

"So we're just to sit here and wait for I demise then?" Ginny asked.

"Pretty much," I said.

Just then the door swung open, there stood Harry, Draco and Ron.

"Whoa! What are these things?" Ron asked.

"Poisonous tentaculas! Don't you pay attention in herbology?" I asked.

"No, I don't, _Hermione_. How about you just tell me what to do instead of being an asshole," Ron said.

"Use _diffindo_!" I said.

"I don't have my wand!" he said.

"Why don't you have your wand? What kind of wizard are you?" I asked.

"Why do you have _your_ wand?" Ron asked.

"Excuse me for not expecting someone to launch poisonous plants into our room in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve!" I said.

"Okay that's enough!" Draco said, moving Ron aside. He reached and grabbed my wand and tossed it over to me, at the same time getting snapped on the arm by one of the poisonous vines.

_"Diffindo! Diffindo! Diffindo!"_ I said taking out each of the plants.

Ginny and I hopped off the bed and walked over to Draco.

"Aw, don't worry, I'm fine," Draco said. "It barely nicked me."

"They're poisonous," I said.

"Oh. . . Well, that could explain why his arm is turning purple," Harry said.

"You think?" I asked. I went over to my trunks and pulled out an empty vial. I took the sleeve of my shirt and snapped one of the leaves off the plant and shoved into the vial. Then, I went to work on making an anti venom.

"You are really good at this," Ron said as I finished.

"I know," I said handing the vial to Draco. "Drink this."

Draco was already starting to turn clammy and purple. He drank it down and then gagged.

"Ugh! This taste like open ass," he said.

"And what exactly does 'open ass' taste like?" Harry asked.

"Like that," Draco replied.

"How do you know what it tastes like?" Harry asked.

"It's just an expression," Draco said.

"It's a stupid expression," Harry said.

"Your face is a stupid expression," Draco retorted.

"There's the Harry and Draco we all know and love," I said.

Up the stairs came Lupin.

"Are you all alright?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "I even saved Draco here from months of recovery in St. Mungo's. That's how awesome I am. How are you guys? Need any antidote?"

"No. . . We're fine. How did you make one so quickly?" Lupin asked.

"Because I don't want to be a potion's _master_ for nothing," I said.

"As smug as ever you are," Lupin said. "All of you back to bed then. The issue is being resolved. Hannah come with me for a moment and bring that antidote of yours with you."

"I thought you didn't need it," I said.

"I didn't want to give you any more reason to be smug," he said.

I walked with Lupin downstairs and he lead me into the kitchen. Once I saw the Order sitting inside, I dropped the antidote into my pocket.

"If this is about Draco I'm going to bed," I said.

"But Hannah," Sirius started.

"No. I explained to you and to Tonks and to Dumbledore and Snape and everyone else what was going on with Draco. You cannot possibly begin to even _think_ he had something to do with this," I said.

"But Hannah, he's here and suddenly we get attacked," Sirius said.

"Draco's wasn't planning on coming here. You invited him," I said. "And at any rate no one was attacked. They weren't going to kill anyone with tentaculas. They only meant to scare us."

"And you're just going to ignore the fact that he's a death eater?" Sirius asked.

"I _know_ he's a death eater. He doesn't _want _to be a death eater. The only reason he is one at all is because Voldemort was going to kill his parents if he wasn't," I said.

"How do you know he's telling the truth?" Sirius asked.

"Because Draco doesn't lie to me. I lie to Draco _all_ the time but he does not lie to me," I said.

"Why would Voldemort make him a death eater?" Sirius asked.

"I just told you! He gave him some impossibly stupid mission that's set him up for failure to piss of Lucius," I said.

"But what if he's lying?" Sirius asked.

"He's not," I said. Here Sirius went again, always pushing me to the edge of my sanity. I was ready to hit him again.

"What reason does Voldemort have to make Draco a death eater than to. . ." Sirius paused.

"What?" I asked.

"What if he's using Draco to get to you?" Sirius asked.

My reflex was to hit him, shove him, do impossibly horrible things to him but I controlled myself and decided to go the more acceptable passive-aggressive route.

"Are you suggesting, Sirius, that my whole relationship with Draco is nothing but some plot cooked up by Voldemort?" I asked.

Tonks sighed. "Hannah, I'm sure that's not what he meant."

"Then he can tell me that," I said. "Sirius?"

His silence was all the answer I needed. I nodded as my eyes became blurry with tears.

"I see. . . Goodnight," I said.

"Hannah, wait," Sirius pleaded.

"No. You don't trust me as far as you can throw me. How could I ever expect you to trust him? And now you're basically calling me an idiot for being with him because you think the whole reason he's with me is because Voldemort asked him to be," I said.

_*Crying in front of the Order. I've reached a new low.*_

"Well he's not evil, I am not an idiot and. . . And I can't believe you would honestly think any of that was true," I said. "Goodnight."

I walked out of the kitchen and went back up to Ginny's room. She was sitting on her bed wide awake now.

"Are you alright?" she asked as I walked over to the window.

"Yeah, I just need some air," I said lifting it open and sticking my head out. It was snowing and it was cold. I'd been counting on it to clear my head but to no avail.

"Hey."

I looked up to Ron's bedroom window and saw Draco sticking his head out.

I quickly wiped my face.

"Tears don't suit you my love," he said. "Why have you been crying?"

"How can you tell that from all the way up there?" I asked.

"I have a sixth sense for when you're feeling bad. Remember? You told me that in third year," he said.

"Well, I just got into a fight with Sirius. We fight all of the time. It's no big deal," I said.

"That's still no reason to make you cry," he said. "So how can I make those tears go away?"

I smiled. "You already have."

"I love you, Hannah," he said.

"I love you too, Draco," I said.

"Goodnight," he said.

I blew him a kiss and ducked back into my window.

No matter what Sirius thought I knew this was real.


	32. Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla

_[A/N: Someone left a review on the last chapter that made me giggle. Not because it was funny, but because in a few chapters she's probably going to be horribly devastated. It's not that your anguish sustains me (though it was funny laughing while you all griped over Hannah dating Marius) it's just that. . . Well I guess it is that. I can't wait to see you guys trip balls over what I have coming up. And if you've read the series before NO SPOILERS in the reviews!]_

_[A/N: 10 points if you can tell me where the title of the chapter came from! Then 10 extra points if you can tell me what it was about.]_

I woke up Christmas morning feeling surprisingly better than I had when I'd gone to sleep that night.

"Happy Christmas," Ginny said. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks," I said.

She was holding a small red package in her hands and staring at it intensely.

"Who's that from?" I asked.

"Harry," she said. "I don't know what he got me."

"Well I know he likes you a lot so it's probably really special," I said.

"Let's see then," she said. She lifted the lid from the box and lifted out a silver star on a chain. "Wow, it's gorgeous."

"There's something engraved there on the back," I said.

She flipped it over and read it. Her face flushed red and she started giggling.

"What does it say?" I asked.

"It says 'If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand'," Ginny said.

"And you two aren't together why?" I asked.

Ginny groaned. "He had to be best friends with my brother. Of all people he had to befriend Ron."

"Ron will get over it. I will get over it. Do not deny yourself happiness because you're worried what other people will think," I said. "Just remember at the end of the day Harry _is_ Ron's best friend and he trust him more than anyone else in the world. Who better to date his sister?"

She shrugged. "What'd Draco get you?"

I reached down from the pile of packages on the floor and found Draco's. It was small and square. I opened it and inside was a small silver charm bracelet. On it was one charm – two rings linked together.

Under it was a small note.

_You called your old bracelet a "girlfriend" bracelet, so I got you a fiancée bracelet. It's essentially like your girlfriend bracelet but I reckon the charms will be different as we'll be building new memories. The first charm is plainly obvious I hope. Happy Christmas. P.S. Take the girlfriend bracelet off. You're not my girlfriend anymore. Get with the program._

"Draco is the perfect mix of being amazing and an asshole at the same time," I said.

"That's why you love him though isn't it?" Ginny asked.

"It could be a contributing factor," I giggled.

I finished opening my gifts, then showered and dressed.

When I went to the kitchen I found Mrs. Weasley fawning over Draco.

"Oh, you just look so handsome," she said.

"Nice sweater," I said.

"Thanks," Draco said showing off his very first Weasley sweater. "Happy Christmas."

"You too," I said.

"How are you this morning?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Lovely," I said.

"Sirius is around here somewhere. He wanted to talk to you," she said.

"Good for him," I said.

"You can't blow him off, Hannah," Lupin said.

"Watch me," I said. "Where's Tonks?"

"She had to stop by the ministry," Bill said.

"Bill, when did you get here?" I asked.

"Very early this morning," he said. "But hello to you too. And how long have you been engaged."

"Like four days," I said.

"Good gracious, I remember when you were four feet tall forcing Ron to eat sand all the time," Bill said.

"Oh, terrible, terrible nostalgia," Ron said.

"Speaking of Tonks," Harry said, "Lupin, when she pulled me off the train at the beginning of the year, you know after Draco hexed me, broke my nose, put my invisibility cloak over me and tried to send me back to London."

"I feel like this is going to be one of those things you don't let me forget," Draco said.

"Yep. You'll be hearing about for as long as you're with my sister," Harry said. "Anyway, she used her patronus and Snape had said it changed form. I didn't know patronus' could do that."

"Yes, they can," Lupin said.

"How?" Ron asked.

"Most often. . . Great emotional upheaval," Lupin said.

"It was like. . . Like a giant four legged dog or something," Harry said.

I glanced over at Lupin. Her patronus was a werewolf. I found that slightly humorous.

"Dogs tend to have four legs, Harry," Ginny said.

"Cheekiness is not necessary," Harry said with a smile. He thought for a moment. "Hey Lupin, you don't think her patronus was-."

"What happened to the dodo bird?" I asked changing the subject.

"The dodo bird?" Draco asked.

"Yes. I mean. What happened to them? I know they're extinct and all that nonsense but. . . What happened to them?" I asked.

"Deforestation, flash floods and mass killings," Bill said.

"Flash floods? What does that even mean?" I asked.

"I don't know, Hannah. I read it in a book somewhere," Bill said.

"Oh. . . Well I learned something new today," I said.

"Oh, Arthur! It's Percy," Mrs. Weasley said. We all looked out. There walking toward the house was Percy Weasley, alongside Tonks and-.

"Rufus Scrimgeour? Man, I hate that guy almost as much as I hated Fudge," I said.

"Hannah, shush. He's the minister of magic," Mrs. Weasley said.

"That doesn't mean I have to like him. I mean he's so far up me and Harry's ass he can pretty open his mouth and our crap will fall out," I said.

"Hannah!" Mrs. Weasley said, appalled. Draco, Ginny, Ron and Harry were roaring with laughter. "I can't believe you said that."

"Yeah. . . But you were thinking it," I said.

Mrs. Weasley turned and looked out the window.

_*And Hannah wins again.*_

Mr. Weasley opened the door as Tonks stepped inside, followed by Percy and Scrigmeour.

"Sorry to intrude on you like this. We were just dropping off Miss Nymphadora," he said.

Tonks flinched.

"And young Percy decided he would like to visit with his family," Scrigmeour finished.

Most everyone in the room exchanged glances. That was a lie. Percy looked like the Burrow was the last place he wanted to be.

"Hello. . . Everyone," Percy managed.

The last time I saw him he was trying to get me expelled from Hogwarts and instead tried to arrest Dumbledore.

"I suppose Percy will want to say a brief hello to his family and I wouldn't dare intrude upon that," Scrimgeour said. His eyes falsely scanned the room and landed on Harry and me.

_*DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!*_

_-WTF?-_

_*He's up to something.*_

"Harry, Hannah, wondering if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you show me around the garden until Percy finishes his hello?" Scrigmeour asked.

"Not a problem," Harry and I said in unison.

"Stop the freaky twin thing," Tonks said.

"Sorry," we said again and then quickly looked away from Tonks as we had done it again.

Lupin looked up at us, giving us the look that we didn't have to go.

"That'll be fine," I said as Harry and I got up from the table.

We led Scrigmeour outside.

"It's nice to finally meet the two of you as Dumbledore has done his very best to keep me from meeting you," Scrigmeour said.

"He's very protective of us," I said in the manner in which I always joked.

Scrimgeour chuckled, obviously fake. "I've heard much about you from Miss Tonks in the time she was working at Hogwarts and taking care of you."

"Well she only has good things to tell," Harry said.

"Yes, yes. I'm sure that's true," Scrimgeour said. "I don't think the ministry has apologized enough for the trouble we put you this past year."

"And I doubt that you'll never be able to," Harry said.

Scrimgeour stopped and looked very taken aback by what had just been said.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking that aurors for protection and a bunch ministry cars are going to make what happened right," Harry said.

"I was wrongly accused of a crime I didn't commit, sentenced to dementors, and had to turn myself over to Voldemort and thought to be dead. The trauma I experienced not to mention the anguish you put my family and friends through was enough to scar us," I said.

"For this, I apologize again," he said.

"The ministry thought I was dead and no one even cared because you were gonna suck my soul out anyway. . . You thought the death eaters had done you a favor," I said.

"Again we're-."

"Don't say sorry anymore," I said.

"The only thing we want is for you guys to actually admit that you made a mistake. That you did something wrong. Even after what happened all you can do is point fingers and put the blame on to other people," Harry said.

"Like Stan Shunpike. Your scapegoat. As if he would ever get involved with Voldemort," I said.

Scrigmeour shuttered.

"Big, bad, minister can't stand to hear Voldemort's name?" Harry asked.

Scrimgeour sighed.

"I was hoping there was someway I could make up for all of the trouble we caused you," he said.

Harry and I exchanged glances.

"Really?" we asked.

"Yes. Well you see, I've heard through the grape vine that, Hannah, you have taken a particular interest in potions. I even reviewed your potions OWLs. It was by far one the most extraordinary things that Education Department had ever seen. They were so eager to put you into the ALTAP," he said.

"That's what everyone says," I said.

"This summer, we have a paid internship in our potions office in our research and development department. They'll mostly be focused on werewolf cures. I was wondering if you'd be interested," he said.

I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"No doubt you've found out that I want to find a cure for werewolves from Dolores Umbridge and I do admire the depth of your research into our lives, as you no doubt have something for Harry to do as well," I said. "But you listen Scrimgeour and you listen good. My brother and I will not parade in and out of the ministry pretending that what you're doing is okay. We will not be the poster children for your corrupt system."

"We'll live by your laws and we'll play by your rules but we won't agree with them. . . And we'll make that known. . . Put that on your poster," Harry said.

"Have a happy Christmas minister," I said.

Harry and I turned to go inside.

"You're Dumbledore's alright. . . Dumbledore's kids through and through," Scrimgeour said.

Harry and I exchanged glances.

"Pretty much," we said.

"And you can put that on your poster as well," I said.

We walked inside, followed by Scrimgeour.

"Well, Percy, we had better get going," Scrimgeour said. Percy didn't hesitate to leave, without saying good. "I do hope you'll give some thought to what I've said."

Harry and I exchanged glances.

"Doubt it," we said.

"Happy Christmas," I repeated. Scrimgeour tried not to glare at us as he walked out the door. Once he was gone Harry and I burst into laughter.

"What on earth did you two say?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Nothing important," Harry said.

Tonks eyed us suspiciously.

"Well Arthur and I had better have jobs when we get back to work," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Harry said. "He basically wanted Hannah and me to be the poster children of the ministry of magic and tell everyone what a smashing job they're doing."

"Oh! The way he tried to bribe me? As if I didn't have standards," I said. "It's like, hello. Did you miss the part where Dumbledore raised me to ignore you?"

"What did he say?" Lupin asked.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that I told him to shove it," I said.

"You did not tell the minister of magic to 'shove it'," Tonks said.

"No, I didn't. Don't get your knickers in a twist," I said.


	33. A Seemingly Legit Match

_[A/N: Wow my ominous message in the last chapter rattled some cages *laughs mischievously*. Anyway, shout out to Leaa, x3spencerx3, and voilawriter for their knowledge of School House Rock and pronouns! Imagine what would happen if I wrote an entire chapter without pronouns. Anywho, I write this chapter for who these past week or so has become pretty much one of my favorite people to talk to.]_

I was straightening up in Ginny's room that afternoon while everyone else was outside playing Quidditch in the snow since that was obviously of no interest to me.

I was in a perfectly content state where the cleaning didn't bother me and music was playing in my head when there was a tap on the door.

I looked over and saw Sirius.

Contentment was gone.

"I don't want to talk to you," I said.

"But I'm going to talk anyway," he said.

"Then I'm not going to listen," I replied

"No problem ever got solved by not talking about them," he said.

"We don't ever solve problems by talking about them. We just cause more problems," I said.

"I know you're angry about what happened last night," he said.

"Angry does not begin to graze the surface of what I feel right now. If I could make you go away and not have to speak to you or look at you for ages, months would pass before I felt bad about it," I said. "And even then I wouldn't forgive you."

"I just want-."

"Me to be careful. To make smart decisions. To not get into trouble," I said. "I could chalk last night up to you and me just not getting along like we always don't, but I think it has something more to do with Draco than with you and me not getting along," I said.

"Of course it does," Sirius said. "I love you, Hannah. I don't want you to get hurt. And I know you're smart and that you trust Malfoy, but I don't. And can you really blame me?"

"But he-."

"I know you love him. I know you trust him. I know you think you're making the right decision. For all I know everything is going to go as you expect. . . I just have a horrible sinking feeling that things aren't and his track record doesn't make me feel any better," Sirius said.

I rolled my eyes.

"You reserve the right to be angry with me. I don't blame you, but I also reserve the right to be suspicious and concerned. Do you understand?" he asked.

"Yeah, whatever," I said dismissively. "I'm going to go outside and watch them play Quidditch."

"I thought you didn't want to," he said.

"I don't, I'm just exercising my right to be angry with you by making myself scarce in your presence," I said putting on my boots and my coat.

"I love you, Hannah," he said as I walked past him.

"Yeah, I love you too, jerk," I replied.

I walked downstairs and outside to the yard. They weren't playing Quidditch anymore, just tossing the Quaffle around while making conversation.

"I was in the wrong for punching him the face, but it was Cormac McLaggen so I don't really feel bad about it," Draco said.

"Oh, hey, Hannah," Harry said. "Tired of being inside then?"

"Tired of being around Sirius is what it is," I replied.

"What'd you even get into it about?" Ron asked.

"Nothing," I said.

"That means Draco," Ginny said. I stuck my tongue out at her. She laughed.

"Hey, Gin, where'd you get that necklace?" Fred asked motioning to the necklace she'd received from Harry this morning.

"Yeah, it's lovely. Have a secret admirer do you, Gin?" Emily giggled giving her a wink.

"It's nothing," Ginny said tucking the star inside of her coat.

"I wish you didn't have all these guys chasing after you," Ron said. "If only you could date a nice guy like our buddy Harry here."

"So you're saying you'd actually approve of Harry dating Ginny?" Emily asked.

Fred, George, and Ron all scoffed. "No."

"It's Harry," Ron said. "He's my best friend. He can't date my sister. Not that he ever would."

Ginny shook her head. "Look you guys, I'm allowed to date whoever I want to without the three of you dictating who that is."

"Right. You should look to Harry as an example. He's actually okay with his sister getting married to some guy he used to hate," Emily said.

"Harry has the patience of a saint," George said.

"Yeah, no one can live up to his standards," Fred said.

"Just because you're not as awesome as Harry Potter doesn't mean you can try to control your sister," Emily said.

"I think it does," Ron said.

"Well you know what I have to say to that?" Ginny asked.

"What would that be little sister?" George asked.

And in typical Ginny Weasley fashion, she went for what she wanted and she took it.

She marched right over to Harry, grabbed his scarf, pulled him over to her and snogged him.

"Whoa. . ." Draco said. He looked over to me and I shushed him.

"Excuse me!" Ron shouted.

"Excuse me indeed," The twins said in unison.

"Harry and I have liked each other for months but we've been going around being awkward and silent for ages because of you guys and your insanity," Ginny said.

"He's my. . . And you're my. . ." Ron tried to manage out actual words but to no avail.

"This is happening," Ginny said, "whether you like it or not."

Fred and George exchanged glances. "Okay."

Ron looked over to me. "Hannah-."

"I already talked to both of them. It seems legit," I said.

Ron hung his head down and sighed.". . . I swear, any funny business with my sister, Harry, I'll kick your ass."

I clapped excitedly. "And all was finally well."

888

It was the morning of New Year's Eve. My head had been spinning since Christmas. I was avoiding Sirius, listen to Tonks and Lupin take digs at each other, watching Harry and Ginny get used to their relationship, and so on.

That morning while everyone observed Ron teaching Draco how to properly play wizard's chess, I had volunteered to do dishes.

"You don't _have_ to marry Fleur," I told Bill who was keeping me company in the kitchen.

"I don't have to, you're right. But I want to," Bill said. "You don't _have_ to marry Malfoy but you want to."

"Well there's that and the fact that I feel like my heart's being cut out of my chest with a rust spoon at the mere thought of not being with him forever," I said.

"So you know what it's like then," Bill said. "Now I know how you feel about, Fleur, being that she stole your boyfriend and all, but she's grown up. She's changed."

"Yeah, yeah, you keep saying that," I said. "I suppose if she makes you happy it's fine."

"You're still my favorite though," Bill said.

"Yeah, I'd better be," I said as Lupin walked into the kitchen. He had been on my case the past few days about not talking to Sirius, saying that I was being unreasonable which always resulted in me telling him he was being unreasonable about Tonks which never went over well.

"How are the dishes coming, Hannah?" Lupin asked.

"They're coming along fine," I said.

"Taking your sweet time I see," he replied.

"Well I'm a bit distracted by the conversation, but there's no rush now is there?" I asked.

"No," Lupin said.

The room was silent, awkwardly silent.

"You want something don't you?" I asked.

"Will you please talk to Sirius," Lupin said.

"Nope," I said.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because he's insensitive and a jerk," I said.

"We all know that, I don't understand why you don't know that," Lupin said.

"You know what I don't understand," I started, "is why you've taken the position you have on the whole Tonks thing."

"That's because you're 16," Lupin said.

I shook my head. "If that were the only reason everyone else wouldn't agree with me. I know you're you and you think that you're always right and usually I agree with you, but not on this. I think you're making a mistake. If you care about her so much you shouldn't be afraid to be with her."

"She deserves someone who can support her. . . Someone who's young. . . Someone who's whole," Lupin said.

"What she deserves, _Lupin_, is love. That's what anyone of us deserves and don't say I'm wrong," I said.

Lupin let out a sigh and walked out the kitchen.

I groaned. "Honestly, you'd have an easier time making an impression on a piece of marble with a stick than you would making one of Lupin."

Bill shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe his silence is a sign of defeat."

I shrugged as Mrs. Weasley leaned into the kitchen. "Bill, dear, can you watch the door? We're supposed to have a few guests by."

"Who?" Bill asked.

Mrs. Weasley was gone from the door before she could even hear his question.

"That was informative," I said.

"I just don't get it – most times you can't get her to stop talking and now it's like, nothing," Bill said.

"The only way she could've been more vague is if she just motioned toward the door," I said.

Just then there was a knock on it.

"Speak of the devil," Bill said climbing to his feet walking over to the door. He pulled it open. There, standing smiling and adorable as always was Kaitlin. "Who're you?"

"Kaitlin!" I cheered. "Bill, let her in. What are you doing here?"

"Well George wrote me about some carnival you were all going to tonight and asked me to come along," Kaitlin said.

"I didn't know George had a girlfriend," Bill said.

Kaitlin chuckled and flushed, though her cheeks were already rosy from the cold. "I'm not George's girlfriend."

"Sure, that's why he came all the way to Hogwarts to surprise you at a party that no one cared about," I said rolling my eyes. "That's Bill by the way, the oldest Weasley child. Bill, this is Kaitlin Fluker-Fitzpatrick. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes employee and my roommate."

"Nice to meet you," Bill said. Kaitlin flashed him a smile.

"You too," Kaitlin said. She turned to me. "Where's your fiancé at?"

"Learning to play wizard's chess," I said.

"Who's teaching him?" she asked.

"Ron," Bill replied.

"Oh, so that was just a euphemism for getting his ass kicked and being mocked for his incompetence then?" Kaitlin asked.

Bill laughed, "Well you're just a barrel of laughs. Where'd you come from?"

"Well, my mother just tells me she was _really_ drunk one night and here I am," Kaitlin said.

I shook my head. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate it, but I'd really like to know how all of my roommates ended up being weirdoes except for Emily who, after marrying Fred, would probably turn into one herself.


	34. Snape's Navy Blue Slacks

_[A/N: This chapter is for the real life Kaitlin who was met by overwhelming fangirling and adoration in the last chapter and who IRL will be turning 16 on August 5th which means I'll have known her for almost 3 years. Holy cow, Kaitlin.]_

_[A/N II: July 31 and July 30 were Harry and Neville's birthdays respectively! Present day they'd be 30 years old! Also, July 31 was J.K. Rowling's birthday and without her I wouldn't be here adding nonsense to her story for the entertainment of you fine people!]_

_[A/N III: Yes, this chapter (like the last) was shorter than usual. I've been a bit stressed as of late and as a result kind of brain dead. Instead of writing I've been watching _Skins_ and knitting a scarf. My bad.]_

There was another knock at the door.

"Who could that be?" Bill asked. He opened the door this time to reveal Snape and Kassia.

I fought back a laugh as I looked at Snape. He was wearing a powder blue turtleneck, navy blue slacks and black river dance shoes.

Snape's eyes narrowed in on me. He could tell I was trying not to laugh.

"Potter. . ." he began.

"Professor Snape. . . Your attire. . . You look. . . Dashing," I said, chuckling.

"Potter-." he began again.

"I like powder blue. It looks good on you," he said.

"Doesn't it just?" Kassia asked.

Snape glared at her as I laughed.

"I have to ask. . . Why powder blue?" I asked.

"Probably because it brings out his eyes," Kaitlin said.

Kassia and I fell into an uncontrollable bout of laughter. Snape was not amused.

The kitchen door opened and Veronica stepped in.

"Oh. . . Hello Severus. . . Don't you look. . . Dashing," she said. Snape rolled his eyes. "Sirius is going to take the piss out of you."

"I suppose," Snape said.

"So.. . How's your buddy Draco holding up?" Kassia asked.

"Good actually; Sirius didn't maim him or anything," I said.

I led Kassia and Kaitlin into the living room where Sirius, Harry, and Draco were observing Ron and Lupin play a very intense game of wizard's chess.

"When did this game begin?" I asked.

"After Ron beat me a few minutes ago. They've just started. They're both really good," Draco said. He paused. "Kassie. . . Hi."

"Hi Harry. . . Heard you hooked up with Ginny. Did _not_ see that coming," she said. Ron shushed her. "Still a sore subject for him then?"

"Unfortunately," Harry said.

"And hello, Draco," Kassia said.

"Good to see you," Draco said.

Kassia looked up to Sirius. "Well, hello, Sirius."

"Devil Child. Welcome," Sirius said.

Ron's eyes scanned the board and he then smiled.

"Knight to D-8," he said. The knight moved across the board. He then looked up at Lupin and smiled. "That'll be checkmate."

"Indeed it is," Lupin said. "I must say, your skills in wizards chess are-."

"Incomparable?" Ron asked.

"I was going to say impressive, but I suppose you do have the skills to back it up," Lupin said.

Snape walked into the living room and Sirius spotted him.

Sirius's eyes grew wide and childlike glee fell over his face. It started to flush red as he restrained his giggles and then finally fell into uncontrolled laughter.

"Trying out for the Icecapades are you Snape?" Sirius laughed.

"Idiot," Tonks said shoving her cousin out from in front of the table. "I bet I could beat you, Ron."

"You think you can win against Ron? Not even I can beat him," Lupin said. Tonks glared at him.

"Ron. . . step aside. . . I'm going to play Remus. . . Then I'll beat you," Tonks said.

"Those are some big words Tonks. I've been watching Ron play for years... He's never lost a game and Lupin's almost as good as he is," I said.

"I know," Tonks said. She waved her wand all the pieces were repaired and in their proper places on the board. "But Remus needs to be taught a lesson that I'm much more clever than I appear. . .White moves first."

We expected the game to last only a few minutes but it was long, and for Lupin, rather difficult. And after 40 long minutes he lost miserably to Tonks.

"I can't believe it," Ron said. "She's really, really good. She might be better than me."

"Probably a bad time to mention Tonks was like a chess prodigy when we were in school," Bill said.

Then a memory flickered into my head.

"You were that girl that used to spend detention playing chess with Dumbledore weren't you?" I asked.

"Yeah, that might've been me," Tonks said with a shrug. She looked over to Lupin and smiled. "Underestimate me again and I'm sure you'll lose more than just a silly game of chess."

888

"So this is what muggle do with their free time? Strap themselves into dangerous machinery and hope for the best?" I asked.

"It's not so awful," Harry said.

"It looks it," Draco said.

"Well if you're really that scared there's an ice skating rink over there," Ginny said. She looked up at Harry. "We should go."

"Sure, sounds great," Harry said, all too willing to anything she asked.

"I'll find something else to do. Looks a bit suspect, a bloke skating by himself," Ron said.

WHAM!

Ron was tackled to the ground by some strange girl.

"Oh, Ron! It is you! And I was worried it might not be but I can always spot you no matter where you are!"

"Hermione?" Draco asked.

Hermione and Ron climbed to their feet. Hermione was giddy and excited, Ron was still unsure of what had just happened to him.

"Yes! I came with a few of my muggle friends from when I went to muggle school and then I saw Ron and I told them I just had to make sure it was him," Hermione said excitedly. She gave Ron a kiss. "I've missed you _so _much."

"Yeah, you too," Ron said, still dazed from his glomping.

"I guess it was him then," a girl said walking up to us, two other girls at her side.

Hermione glanced at us quickly as if to say "pretend to be a muggle", something only Harry was going to be able to manage.

"Yeah, this is him," Hermione said. "This is my boyfriend Ron, these are the twins, my best friends Harry and Hannah, Ron's sister and my good friend Ginny, and my friend Draco."

Draco seemed to be a bit touched by the fact that Hermione introduced him as her friend instead of my fiancé.

"Guys, this Holly, Carla, and Anna," Hermione introduced them.

"Nice to meet you," Holly said giving Draco a wink.

I leered at her.

"Where were you lot headed to?" Carla asked.

"Skating rink," Ginny replied.

"Sounds like a blast. We'll see you there, Hermione. We'll let you catch up with your school chums," Holly said.

The three girls walked off toward the rink.

I opened my mouth to speak but Hermione shushed me.

"I know what you're going to say, that Holly rubs you the wrong way. I know. But Holly rubs everyone the wrong way," she said. "You get so territorial about Draco."

"Well I have to be when he looks like that," I said. "And I told myself, if I couldn't have Bill, then I'd find my own Adonis of man and now that I have him I don't intend to let some blonde haired hussy take him away."

"Your bitchiness is in rare form this evening," Ron said.

"So is your douche baggery but I haven't commented on that have I," I said.

"Whoa, relax, Hannah," Draco said. "Ron's right, you are in an unfailingly bad mood this evening," Draco said. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I said. "I think being around all these scary machines is making me anxious."

"Then let's get away from them," Draco said.

We walked over to the ice skating rink and soon found ourselves skating.

"You can just ignore her you know," Draco said as Holly skated past us, giggling as she went.

"Right, and I want you to remember you said that to me the next time someone tries to get all flirty with me," I said. "Honestly, can't she tell we're together?"

Draco shrugged. "If it becomes an issue, I'm sure Hermione'll sort her out."

"I could always sort her out myself," I said. Draco laughed. "What?"

"Slow down, Crazy," Draco said. "She can be as flirty and annoying as she wants, but it's not like I'd ever leave you for some girl like her."

"What kind of girl would you leave me for?" I asked.

"Well she'd be taller, her tits would be bigger and she'd be a touch less crazy," Draco said. I rolled my eyes. "But it's fine, because you're better than any dream girl."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep. . . Because you're real," he said. I tried to fight it, but I smiled.

"Hey, there," Holly skating in between us. "So, Draco, that's quite the peculiar name. Does it come from the constellation Draco?"

"Uh, yeah actually. Everyone on my mother's side of the family has some type of astrological type name or whatever," Draco said.

And then I realized that might just explain Draco's random interest in astronomy.

"Hermione's very tight lipped about her school and she's _never_ home in the summer anymore to tell us about it. Is it as 'magical' as she makes it out to be?" Holly asked.

"You have no idea," Draco said with a chuckle.

"Any special girl there at your school you have?" Holly asked.

"Yeah, this one here actually," I put in, restraining the urge to trip her onto her face.

"Oh, really?" Holly asked, already having known we were together.

_*God! This girl makes me nostalgic for Pansy and Genie.*_

_-Indeed.-_

"We're engaged actually," Draco said.

"Really? Do you have a ring?" Holly asked. I pulled my glove off and showed her. "Bloody hell. How much did you shell out for this whopper?"

"About 10,000 gall-I mean quid. 10,000 quid," Draco said.

Holly spun around gracefully to face Draco. "Well, when your relationship inevitably goes to shit, Hermione knows how to reach me. You can give me a ring-on the phone I mean."

She turned and skated away. I wanted to take my skate off and stab her with it, but then the ice in front of her cracked open causing her to trip and smack her face onto the ice. Holly started to cry and when she sat up it was plainly obvious her nose was broken. Carla and Anna skated over to help her.

"Wow, what'd she do to piss you off?"

I turned and saw Lydia behind me.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yeah. Accidental magic and from the way you were looking at her I reckon she ticked you off," Lydia said.

"I didn't mean too. It's just-."

"Don't worry about it. Just try to calm down. I run a pretty low key operation here as far as magic is concerned," Lydia said.

"Sorry," I said.

"Don't worry about it," Lydia said with a wink, "though I do have to close the ice rink down now while we fix the crack so I hope you feel horrible about that."

"So horrible," I replied with a smile.

"Excellent," she said. "Well if I don't see you again this evening, have a happy new year."

"Cheers then, Lydia," I replied.


	35. Tonks Shtick

_[A/N: SHARK WEEK! Anyway, this chapter is for who I'd glomp in real life if I could and whose birthday, August 4, as it turns out is only a day before my darling Kaitlin's. Yay birthdays! And for those asking about Snape's clothes. . . Teehee. Oh, yes, your 10 points for this chapter, Spongebob quote. You need merely shout it in the review.]_

Draco and I sat in the Ferris wheel looking up at the stars.

"So are you ready to tell me why you're not speaking to Sirius?" he asked.

"Nope," I replied.

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't want to make you feel bad," I said.

"I feel bad just knowing you're the reason the two of you aren't speaking," Draco said. "So just tell me anyway. Besides, I thought we agreed no more secrets."

"Well you're not telling me what you're-."

"This absolutely not the same," Draco said.

I sighed. "He thinks that 'if' you're a death eater that the only reason you may be with me again is because Voldemort told you to be. . . He doesn't trust you. Not one bit. . . He thinks our whole relationship with me might be a lie."

"It's not," Draco said. "I love you."

"I don't doubt that you do. He does," I said motioning to Sirius who stood below with Lydia and Veronica. "I wish I could just make him understand. I wish I could make him see that you really do love me."

"But he's right to doubt me isn't he?" Draco asked.

"No he's not, because it isn't true," I said.

"But he doesn't know that does he?" Draco asked. "I understand why you would be angry, but I also understand why he would be distrusting of me. You can't be angry at him for that. Now when your dad tries to secretly get your girlfriend killed for months at a time then not speaking to them for a while might be justified."

I chuckled. "You want me to squash all this nonsense don't you?"

Draco nodded. "I'm not worth your relationship with him."

I sighed. "Suppose you're right then."

After going around a few times we came to a stop and hopped off.

"I hate Ferris wheels," Tonks whined.

"It wasn't so bad if you ignored the swinging," Lupin said.

"And the being suspended in the air for an uncomfortably long period of time," I added.

Emily dashed over to us an excited look in her eye.

"So they opened the skating ring back right, and you will not believe who out there skating really, really incredibly well," Emily said.

"Who?" I asked.

"Professor. Snape," she said.

"I'm sorry, did you just Severus Snape. . . Was ice skating. . . Well?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," Emily replied.

We all ran over to the ice skating rink and Snape was indeed skating like a professional.

"OH! WHY DON'T I HAVE A CAMERA!" Sirius wailed. "It's like he's taunting me because I can't use it for black mail!"

"No one is going to believe this actually happened," Ginny said.

"Did you see that? H just did two salchows and a triple lutz," Draco said.

". . .How do you know that?" Harry asked.

Draco scoffed and chuckled. What? Crazy, I didn't say anything."

"You did. You said he did two salchows and a triple lutz. I don't know what that means but you do," I said. "How do you know what that means?"

". . . I may or may not have taken ice skating lessons for five years when I was a child," Draco said. I nodded, restraining a laugh. "My mum made me."

I wanted to be the support fiancée and not laugh, but I did.

"Ice skating?" I asked. "You ice skate?"

"I used to because my mum made me. I haven't skated in like, six years," Draco said. "Can we please let it go?"

"Absolutely not," Harry said. "I have to tell _everyone_."

"Lay off him," Tonks said. "Let's go and do something like. . . The hall of mirrors. Sounds-."

"Dangerous, for you I mean," Sirius said.

"Not everything is dangerous for me," Tonks said.

"Well you did fall in the snow pile while we were skating," Lupin said.

"Thanks for backing me up," Tonks said.

"You can all bite me," Tonks said.

"Well we've got a fair amount of time before midnight. I say we go through the mirror maze, fix whatever Tonks breaks, whether it be the maze or herself, get a cup of hot chocolate and then bring in the new year," I said.

"That sounds nice," Tonks said.

"Even the fixing of the mirror maze?" Ginny asked.

"If said events should occur," Tonks said. "Now let's go before we argue through the New Year."

Tonks turned around to head toward the mirror maze. We tried to get her to stop because there was a massive steal pole right behind her, but as she turned she slammed right into it.

"Ooh. . . Are you alright?" I asked, trying not to life.

She nodded. "I'm just ashamed I let it. . ." Tonks had stop moving and didn't turn back around to us.

"Tonks, are you alright?" Ron asked.

She shook her head.

"Are you bleeding?" Lupin asked. She shook her head.

"Mai bung is thuck to the pole," she said.

"Your tongue is stuck to the pole?" Harry asked. Tonks nodded.

Sirius burst into laughter. "Excellent."

"How?" Ginny asked.

"Bai bus tocking amb now its thuck," she said.

"That is insanity," I said.

"I fizzered you'd be use to it bai now," Tonks said. "Tud you bais bus hep me?"

"You have to call the fire department for something like this. We can't use the m-word out in the open like this," Hermione said.

"Or can't we?" I asked. "I mean Hermione you were able to steal from Snape in second year when we were making that polyjuice potion to see if Draco. . . Nevermind. If anyone can get her tongue off this poll, it's you."

"Wait? What about a polyjuice and me?" Draco asked.

"Nothing important," I said.

"I just got outed for being an ice skater for the better part of my childhood. I think you owe me this," Draco said.

I sighed. "When we were in second year and everyone thought Harry was the heir of Slytherin well. . ."

"You thought I was didn't you?" Draco asked.

"Well you hated me with a passion that even surprised me," Hermione said.

"So we impersonated Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy on Christmas to get into your common room and question you," I said.

". . . This is how you all choose to spend your free time?" Draco asked. "You're all very, very paranoid. Iwas like the only person in the whole school who didn't think you were up to no good."

"Only because you thought we weren't capable of it," Harry said. "And I could've so totally done it if I wanted."

"Except I did so. . . There we go," Ginny said.

"Bye haven't ooh hepp me yet?" Tonks asked. "My mouf is die."

"One minute," Hermione said. "Oh, I just got able to use my wand outside of school. What if O get caught."

"I'm an ohwoe. I pomise ooh wome get in touble," Tonks said.

Hermione sighed.

"Alright, block me," she said.

We all stood on either side of Tonks and Hermione.

"What do I do?" Hermione asked.

"Uhm! Diffendo! That should work," Draco said.

"Alright. . . Diffendo?" Hermione pointed the wand and Tonks and her tongue became free of the pole.

"Yes! Good going," Ginny said.

Tonks stepped away from the pole. She glared at before kicking it. She hopped on one foot, having hurt herself on the concrete base of it. She hobbled around for a moment before slipping on the ice on the ground and falling sharply on her bottom.

"Ow!" she said. She picked up a handful of snow and shouted inaudibly as she threw it at the pole. Unfortunately the snow turned out to be a wad of ice which merely bounced off the pole smacking her right in the face, knocking her back onto the ground.

Sirius rolled with laughter, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Tonks, just stop. I can't take anymore of your shtick," he said.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked as he helped her to her feet. She nodded.

"Let's just go to this stupid maze," she said.

Tonks made a point to walk past the pole and we followed closely behind her as we reached the maze.

"Now, keep your hands in front of you at all times otherwise you'll be sorry," the operator said.

Draco and I went inside first, followed by Sirius, Hermione and Ron, Tonks, Lupin and Harry and Ginny.

Draco, Hermione, Ron, Sirius, and I got out without difficulty, unfortunately, the rest of our gang was having trouble. We stood at the exit as we listened to them struggle through the maze.

It started out with laughter, they were merely lost like everyone else. There was a shout.

"Ow!" Tonks shouted. I chuckled.

"Watch it there, Tonks. Tonks watch!" Ginny screeched.

"Damn it!" she shouted in pain again.

"Christ be careful," Lupin said.

"This was a damn good idea. 'Let's build a maze full of mirrors.' Brilliant, idea!" she said in anger. She sniffled. "I think my nose is broken." I listened as they walked then someone slammed into the glass. "No. . . Now my nose is broken!"

"You've gone and gotten blood all over the mirror," Harry said.

"Watch it there," Lupin said.

"I can't quite see. My eyes are all watery," she said.

"Then stop walking before you-."

Suddenly there was a crashing of lots of glass. The four of us exchanged glances, not quite wanting to know what happened.

"Ah!"

"Watch it! Whoa!"

"Stand still woman!"

"Ah! My leg!"

"Oh my God!"

"I'm okay!"

"Look at all the blood!"

Finally it stopped.

"Well. . . At least we know how to get out now," Ginny said.

There was crunching over glass and out the "maze" came the remaining four of our party. They all looked like they'd just gotten out of a duel.

"What the. . . Never mind. . . I don't want to know," I said.

Lydia came running up to us. When she saw Tonks was bleeding she sighed.

"I don't want to know," she said. She ran into the maze and let out a scream. "My maze!" She ran back out, red in the face trying to find something to say to her.

"I know. . . You're angry. . . I trashed your maze, but it will be okay. I promise," Tonks said.

"I'm closing the maze. . . You have five minutes Nymphadora-."

"Ton. . ." Lydia glared at Tonks. "Nymphadora is fine."

"Five minutes, Nymphadora. Fix my maze and modify my operators memory so that he doesn't realize that my maze was destroyed. You got it?" Lydia asked.

"Of course," Tonks said. Lydia nodded and walked away.

". . . She must get that from Sirius," Draco said.

"How do you figure?" Sirius asked.

"Cause my mum yells at me like that," Draco said. "It definitely has to be a Black family trait."

"You know what Malfoy. . . I think you're right," Tonks said. She sighed. "Well, things could've gone a lot worse." She tapped her nose with her wand and inhaled deeply. "Ahh. . . Goodbye broken nose."

"Merlin's Beard! Look at your leg!" Hermione shouted. We all looked down to Tonks leg. There was a large shard of glass in, nearly a foot long piercing her leg all the way through.

"And with that, Tonks, you have completely made this year for me," Sirius said. "Thank you."

"Uh-oh. . . Uh-oh. . . Uh-oh. . . Uh-oh. . . Uh-oh! Should I leave it in? Should I take it out? Should I leave it in? Should I take it out?" She panicked.

"Tonks!" Lupin said grabbing her by the shoulders. "Calm down. . . We're gonna clean up this mess. . . Fix the guy's memory and then fix your leg. . . Do not panic."

"I'm sorry, Remus but do you have a large piece of glass piercing your leg? No! I didn't think so! I'm already panicking! This is worse than that time I nearly killed Hannah!" Tonks said.

Draco opened his mouth to ask. I stopped him.

"I'll tell you later." I said.

"Hermione, if you would be so kind as to go retrieve someone to help clean this up," Lupin said. Hermione raced off. "I can help you Tonks but first you must stop panicking."

"Okay. . . Stop panicking. . . Calm down..." Tonks said to herself. She took a deep breath and looked back down at her leg. "I'm sorry but I'm panicking."

"Tonks calm down," Lupin said. "Don't look at it."

"How can you not? Look at the size of it!" Sirius said.

"Go fuck yourself, you wanker!" Tonks shouted at him.

"Unnecessary hostility," Sirius said.

Hermione came back with Bill and Fleur.

"Oi, what happened?" Bill asked.

"Tonks destroyed the mirror maze," Ron said.

"Oh. . . We should've seen zat coming. . . Tonks you leg!" Fleur said.

"What the hell hap. . . Nevermind, don't want to know," Bill said. He, Fleur and Hermione went inside and fixed the maze back to it's original state and modified the memory of the operator.

We then went and sat aside on a bench where Lupin tried to figure out what to do.

"That looks really bad," Ron said,

"Well spotted," Tonks said irritably. "So, how do you plan on getting this piece of glass out my leg?"

"Well. . . It'll be painful. . . Bloody and you'll need stitches," Lupin said.

"Tell me that's a joke," Tonks said. Lupin shook his head.

"Of course we could go to St. Mungo's and-."

"Not St. Mungo's! Honestly! They laugh every time I show up there," Tonks said.

"I'm not a healer Tonks. I really shouldn't do this," Lupin said.

"You can and you will," Tonks said.

"Tonks, this isn't the time for you to be stubborn. You need a doctor, er, healer," Hermione said.

"Or someone who knows what zey're doing," Fleur said.

"I trust you, Remus," Tonks said.

"You're going to St. Mungo's," Lupin said.

"But I don't wanna," Tonks said.

"But you're gonna," Lupin said, just as childishly as she had. "This isn't like healing your leg after a nasty fall this is. . . Completely unordinary."

Tonks sighed.

"But they'll laugh," she said.

"Believe me, as soon as you're gone, we're going to laugh," Sirius said.

This was apparently the last straw for Tonks. She'd had enough of Sirius' mocking.

She pulled the long shard of bloody glass from her leg and clasped it like a dagger, threatening Sirius with it.

"Keep pushing me. I will fuck you up," Tonks said.

". . . Should someone take that away from her?" Draco asked.

Lupin shook his head. "Otherwise he won't learn anything."

The whole carnival was chanting as it got closer to midnight.

"5. . . 4. . . 3. . . 2. . . 1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" we all cheered.

Tonks dropped the piece of glass. "I hope we can put all this unpleasantness behind us. It is a new year after all."

"Agreed," Sirius said.


	36. Shopping

_[A/N: I'm doing this thing called Blog Everyday in August (BEDA) and if you'd like to follow along my random ramblings for this (and motivate me to write) definitely read it: .com It'd mean a lot to me! Anywho 10 points to NewProphecy and .Moony for guessing that, yes, it was "MY LEG!"]_

The next morning I was awakened by the blanket being stolen away leaving me to freeze.

"Kaitlin, you've taken all the blanket," I complained.

"No, I haven't. You have," she hissed at me.

"You're both wrong actually."

"Look at them. Just as lazy if we were still in school."

I opened my eyes and saw Hermione, Parvati and Emily staring down at us.

"What is going on?" Kaitlin asked.

"If you two are done snuggling, I need to get you fitted for your bridesmaid gowns today and I need to get a dress and shoes and everything so, get a move on," Emily said.

"Ah, but I am not a part of your bridal party so I'll just go back to sleep," Kaitlin concluded.

"Ah, my wedding singer needs a dress," Emily said.

"Oh, come on. I'm getting married in less than three months. I need your help," she said. "And you're next Hannah. I can make your wedding stressful for you—that is assuming I'm to be a part of it."

"Everyone in this room, and also Ginny, is going to be a bridesmaid—except Hermione will obviously be my maid of honor," I said.

"Even me?" Kaitlin asked.

"Kait, we just spooned in Ginny Weasley's spare bed. We're practically sister's now," I said.

"Just be careful. Spooning leads to forking," Parvati said.

"Get dressed and get downstairs," Hermione said.

After we got dressed we went downstairs.

Hardly anyone was up. Lupin was still in bed, the boys were still in bed. Tonks sat at the table half asleep, nearly drowning in a cup of coffee. Fleur and Emily were bright eyed and bushy tailed. Hermione was there as well, somewhat tired and Parvati stood with Dana and Veronica, along with little Gabrielle.

"Why are we doing this so early?" I asked.

"Because we've got a full day of things to do," Emily said.

They led us out the house and we began our walk to the muggle village.

"Wothcer, Hannah," Tonks said, pulling back away from the group. "Are you ever going to speak to Sirius again?"

"You mean the man you threatened to stab with a large, sharp implement you pulled out of you leg last night?" I asked.

"Yeah," Tonks said.

"Draco says I should. That even though Sirius is wrong he has every right to be suspicious of him," I said.

"And isn't that exactly what Sirius told you?" Tonks asked. I nodded.

"It's just Sirius always makes things with Draco difficult when things are difficult enough on their own," I said. "Do you know how terrifying it is being in love with some who could hurt you even if they don't mean to?"

"Love is a complicated, Hannah, and because your life and Malfoy's life are conflicting in a big way it's more complicated and I'm sorry you have to go through it but-."

"We can't help who we fall in love with," I said. Tonks nodded. I sighed. "It was supposed to be easy like it was before. Draco and I were together and we were happy and we couldn't give a damn about anything else."

"It's supposed to be when you're 16," Tonks said.

"Yeah. but we've got the most screwed up lives," I said.

"They're nor screwed up. They're just very complicated," Tonks said.

"This is not complicated. Complicated is euphemism for our relationship," I said. "I don't wanna talk about this anymore. . . How are you and Lupin?"

"That's none of your concern," Tonks said.

"Going nowhere fast then," I said she rolled her eyes.

"Why are you so interested?" Tonks asked.

"Because you're like my mum and Lupin's like my dad and if you guys are into each other it'd be ideal for you to be together," I said.

"I guess so," Tonks said.

After a bit more walking we arrived at the muggle village where there were tons of little shops lining the street.

"This is where we're going," Emily said pointing to one of them.

We walked inside the shop were Tons of wedding dresses and dresses of other sorts filled the room.

There was a young girl sitting at the front desk writing something in a ledger. She looked up at us and smiled.

"Happy New Year!" she squealed. "You're the girl who sat aside the blue bridesmaids dresses correct?" Emily nodded. "I'll go and get them for you then."

Whole the rest of us got fitted into our dresses, Emily tried on wedding dresses.

We were there for hours while she and Fleur went through a ton of wedding dresses. Some were nice. . . Most of them weren't.

Finally, Emily got her dress. It covered her feet completely. It was very layered and poofy from the waist down. The top was corseted and laced in the back with white strings. The dress had a long white train.

"I think we've got a winner," Emily said.

"You look absolutely stunning in that dress," Parvati said.

"It's like it was made especially for you," I said.

"You're just saying that," Emily said.

"No, honestly it's got Emily written all over it," Kaitlin said.

"You do look beautiful dear," Dana said.

Emily smiled. "Then this one it is. What about you Fleur?"

"I think I'm going to wear my mother's wedding dress. . . I like it better than these," Fleur said.

And so Emily bought her dress and our dresses as did Fleur and we were on our way out. . . To the shoe store.

"Why today? We were up until an ungoldy hour and you're dragging us around the muggle village," I said.

"Well we won't have time to do it before March. We've only got two Hogsmeade trips coming up and one of them Valentine's day which I'm sure you won't want to spend with me," Emily said.

"Well can we at least eat. I'm dying here," Parvati said.

"Yes. We should eat," Veronica said.

"Alright. There's a little restaurant over here," Fleur said.

We all walked up the street to a small little cafe for lunch.

It was fairly small. Only 10 small tables and a counter inside.

Hermione, Emily, Parvati, Ginny, Kaitlin and I all took a seat together. Veronica and Tonks sat a small distance away from us and Emily, Gabrielle, Fleur and Dana sat together.

"I thought Professor Lupin was staying with you this Christmas?" Parvati asked.

"He is, but he was asleep when you came by," I said.

"Oh, what a shame," Parvati said.

"I can't believe you and Hannah actually used to have a crush on him," Hermione said.

"Actually, a lot of girls in our school did," Ginny said.

"Really?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. I sat next to plenty of Mrs. Remus Lupin's in class, namely Luna," Ginny said.

"Really?" I asked. Ginny nodded.

"Professor Lupin was a great. . . Hey, does he have a girl friend?" Parvati asked.

"Uh. . . I don't think so," Hermione said.

"Yes," Parvati said.

"Parvati. He was your teacher," Ginny said.

"He's not anymore though is he?" Parvati asked. She then laughed. "I'm just joking, but yeah. Padma, Lavender and I were rather in love with him when he taught us. I was so Happy when he came that week last year in October."

". . . I'm glad you're leaving right after this is all said and done," Hermione said.

"Yeah. I think we'd all prefer it if you didn't harass Lupin," Ginny said.

_*Especially since he's into Tonks anyway, no matter how much he dislikes it.*_

"Yeah and I'm pretty sure he's too old for you," Kaitlin said.

"Hannah, you're the one always saying age is just a number," Parvati said.

"Well, yeah, but there's a line and when they're old enough to be your father I'd say you just about crossed it," Ginny said.

"Alright. I guess I'll just look for a guy that like Professor Lupin except closer to my age and being a werewolf is optional," Parvati said. She paused and looked thoughtfully for a moment before her expression became serious. "Do you think Professor Lupin is alone because he's a werewolf?"

Of course I knew the answer was yes. That was part of the reason he wasn't with Tonks.

"As much as I hate to admit, yes probably," Ginny said somberly. "I mean, maybe not of his own accord-."

"I think it's of his own accord," Kaitlin said. "According to my mum that's why they broke up. Because people were like shunning her for dating him or whatever. But then again my dad was also a werewolf so who knows. . .I just think maybe my mum secretly has a things for furries."

The door to the cafe opened. Then out of nowhere, Veronica and Dana gasped and ducked under their tables.

"What on earth?" Tonks asked. I looked to see who had just walked in.

It was a woman. A very large woman. She had long, straight, flat brown hair, a big bushy unibrow, very broad shoulder and she was a bit on the heavy side.

"Oh. . . My. . . Gawd," Ginny said.

"Run. . . It's Godzilla," Parvati whispered. We shushed her with a giggle. The woman was making her way to the counter but paused and looked over at us. She then began making her way toward us.

"Good going, Patil. Can't you ever be nice?" I asked.

"And you've room?" Parvati said.

The woman stopped at our table. Surprisingly she looked to me.

"You're Hannah potter aren't you?" she asked. I swallowed hard.

"That's what my birth certificate says," I said.

The woman chuckled. "You look like Lily, but obviously you've developed more into your father."

I chuckled. "Obviously you knew them. . . Mind telling me who you are?"

"Lisa?" Veronica said as she and Dana came out from under their tables.

"Oh. . ." I said.

"Who's Lisa?" Hermione asked in a whisper.

"She was my mum's roommate until fifth year. She'd had a record that put the Weasley twins, Sirius, my dad and me to shame. My mum got her expelled. . . She was the bully that bullied the bullies."

"Oh," Ginny said.

"Veronica. . . Dana. . . Is that you?" Lisa asked.

"Yeah," Dana said reluctantly.

Lisa glared at them. "Let me guess how your lives turned out. . . Graduated from Hogwarts with top marks, with your best friends. Got married, popped a kid or two, and you got everything you wanted right?"

"Not true. My boy friend got thrown into Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit for 12 years," Veronica said.

"It's true. I was there," Dana said.

"Once a smartass always a-." Lisa stopped and turned to the door. It opened. Bringing in the snow and cold air was Lupin.

"Remus!" she said. Lupin looked up. His eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, no. . . My nightmares have manifested themselves into flesh," he said.

"I thought you might forget your favorite ex-girl friend," Lisa said.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You used to date her?" Tonks asked in disbelief.

". . . I was 15," he said tiredly.

Tonks glanced at Lisa and then looked back to Lupin.

"Well I'm glad to see your taste has improved," Tonks said.

"You would think so," he said.

"This your new girl friend, Remus?" Lisa asked.

Tonks scoffed. "He wishes."

"What are you doing here?" Lupin asked.

"I live in the muggle village. You live near here?" Lisa asked.

"Thank God, no," he said.

"You don't like me anymore do you, Remus?" Lisa asked.

"I actually stopped liking you when you started stalking me," Lupin said.

"She stalked you?" Tonks asked.

"Could you stop talking, Nymphadora?" Lupin asked.

"Tonks," she said angrily.

"Right now I don't really care," Lupin said.

"You had a stalker. That is priceless," Tonks said.

"Are you sure this isn't your girl friend?" Lisa asked.

"Positive. He' just my roommate," Tonks said. "My annoying, annoying, roommate."

"Likewise," Lupin said, annoyed. They both glared at each other for a moment.

"Well, what are you doing her, Remus?" Lisa asked.

"I was buying some tea for a friend," Lupin said creeping toward the counter.

"Really, me too," Lisa said. "Imagine that."

"You know what. . . I think I'm going to buy Molly's tea somewhere else. . . I'll see you guys later. . ." Lupin said.

Lupin walked out of the cafe and Lisa smirked.

_*No wonder Mom talked so badly about her.*_

"Lisa, you got kicked out of Hogwarts ages of ago and now you're here, harassing Remus, which is what got you kicked out in the first place. Please, leave him alone," Dana said. Lisa smiled.

"I was only playing when I cursed Lily," Lisa said.

"Really? You seemed rather bitter and spiteful about it. Remus liked Lily. He didn't like you. So you cursed Lily, who liked Remus, out of spite," Veronica said. "You were always jealous of Lily anyway. Remus was just one more thing she had that you didn't."

Lisa glared at her and whipped out her wand. Tonks jumped to her feet.

"Put the wand down now," she said. "You do that and you'll land yourself a week in Azkaban. You know it's against the law to draw your wand on someone unless they actually mean to harm you."

"Someone knows our laws pretty well," Lisa said.

"I'm an auror. It's my job. Now remove yourself from the premises or I'll have to escort you to the Ministry of Magic," Tonks said.

Lisa looked Tonks over for a moment. "You're going to take me to the ministry?"

"I've handled much bigger and much uglier," Tonks said.

"Wow, the first understatement of the new year," I said.

"Quiet, Hannah," Tonks said. "I'm going to tell you one more time, to leave."

Lisa looked to Veronica and Dana one last time and then left.

Tonks sighed and sat down.

"Why are all your old classmates either death eaters or completely insane?" she asked.

"That's just the way they turned out. But on the bright side, we always had Frank and Alice, the bright side of to the kids in our year," Veronica said.


	37. Abstinence

Parvati and Kaitlin took the Knightbus home while Hermione went back to the Burrow with us where Tonks would apparate her home after dinner.

When we arrived, we climbed to the attic and were greeted with an unusual sight.

"It's so soft. . . And you really don't bleach it?" Harry asked as he and Ron combed their fingers through Draco's hair.

"Really. It's this pale and scary looking all on its own," Draco said.

"No wonder Hannah's always touchin' it. It's nice," Ron said.

". . . Okay. . . How about Hannah's the only one that touches Draco's hair from now on, because that was pretty weird," Ginny said.

"We've kidnapped Hermione for you, Ron. She's here until after dinner. Then her parents are coming with her ransom money and we'll be forced to let her go," I said.

"You're really able to do all that with an auror here?" Ron asked.

"Yes. The ministry is in on the whole thing. The ransom money is going to pay for more parchment to be made into standardized tests at Hogwarts," Hermione said.

"Oh the horror," Harry said.

"We have to take NEWTs next year anyway, Harry," Hermione said.

"_You_ do. I have to take them in March," I said.

"Oh, that's right. You must be nervous," Draco said.

"Out of my mind nervous. I have to do not only learn all of my seventh year course work in two months but I have to take the worst test known to wizards immediately following," I said.

"You'll do great. You always do great," Harry said. "Just study hard, don't screw around and everything will work out fine. You deserve it after all the crap you've been through."

"Yes, but the universe does have a way of being evil. Even if I do well on my NEWTs and get my license I can't escape the feeling that something outrageous is going to happen and everything will be ruined," I said.

"You are so worst case scenario," Ron said.

"I'm sorry, have you paid attention to her life the past 16 years? I would be too," Ginny replied. "But still, try to stay positive. Things have a funny habit of working out in your favor when you stay positive, don't they Harry?"

"I should say so," Harry agreed, blushing slightly.

I smiled, not because I was going to maintain a positive attitude, but because my brother was with a girl who could actually make him blush.

"So we heard about what happened in the cafe with Lupin? Was she really that frightening?" Harry asked.

"Yes. She looked like a man. She had more muscle on her than Viktor," Hermione said.

"She was like one of those female body builders. The one's that take steroids," Ginny said.

"And Lupin used to date her?" Draco asked, slightly disgusted.

"Well I expect she wasn't as masculine when she was 15," I said.

"I certainly hope so, otherwise I hope Lupin's taste have improved these days," Draco said.

"That's what Tonks said," Ginny said with a chuckle.

Someone was coming up the ladder. We looked over to see Fred.

"Hi Fred. . . You are Fred right?" Draco asked.

"Yep. You spend enough time with us you tend to learn what we look like. So girls. . . what can I expect in March?" Fred asked.

"You know we can't say, Fred," Ginny said. "But I will tell you she looks lovely."

"Yes. You'll need to super glue your jaw back on when you see how stunning she looks," Hermione said.

"You're not lying are you?" Fred asked.

"No," we said.

"Alright. . . I'll leave you guys then. . . And mum says if you're to be up here, leave the door open," Fred said. "Oh, and Hannah, I know this is moot, but Sirius wants to talk to you."

"Tell him that-."

"She'll be down in a moment," Draco said.

Fed climbed back down the latter.

"Nice, babe," I said.

"I told you to talk to him," Draco said. "So now you're going to."

I leered at him, but climbed down from the ladder and bumped right into Sirius.

"Oh, hi," I said. He opened his mouth to say something. "Look, I'm sorry I've been being so difficult recently. You have every right to be suspicious of Draco even though you're completely wrong. But I wish you could do me a favor and try to trust him because I love him and I also love you and it would be awesome if you could be as accepting of him as he is of you. 'Kay?"

"Uh. . . Yeah," Sirius said.

"Excellent," I said starting back up the ladder.

"Are you okay?" Sirius asked.

"Never better. Why?" I asked.

"You've just been. . . Very up and down recently," Sirius said. "Just the past few days."

"Oh. . . No explaining that is there," I said. "I mean, I haven't noticed any difference but I'm a girl. I'm 16. I'm always off the wall."

"Yes, but more so than usual," Sirius said. "You're sure everything's okay?"

"Yeah," I said.

Sirius stared at me for a moment. ". . . Okay."

888

"So you finish your seventh year studies when?" Tonks asked.

We were headed back to Hogwarts today and as my friends flooed back through to Hogwarts, I was giving Tonks, Lupin, and Sirius the rundown of my schedule.

"First week of March," I said. "Then the very next week I'll be home because I'll have to be at the ministry everyday to take my NEWTs. The following week is break so Harry and the others will be home as well for Emily's wedding that Sunday."

"And when do you take your teaching exam?" Lupin asked.

"Depends on how well I do on my NEWTs. If I do exceptionally well then I should be able to take it the week school starts after break. If not, I'll need to wait until the summer," I said.

"And if you pass your teaching exam in March what will you do then?" Sirius asked.

"I'll have to keep up my student teaching and what not but, next year if all goes well. . ."

"What?" Sirius asked.

"Professor Slughorn has only been hired to teach potions for this year. Dumbledore says if I actually manage to get my license before the summer that I could take his position starting next school year," I said. "With help, of course, from Professor Snape because I'll only be 17 after all but it's exciting none the less."

"That's great! Why didn't you tell us before?" Tonks asked.

"Well I didn't want to get my hopes up, you know. I'm counting on not getting my license until the summer so we'll see what happens," I said.

Sirius pulled me into a hug. "You're gonna do great, Goober!"

"Thanks," I said.

"Alright, let her go, she's got to get to school," Tonks said.

"Good luck," Lupin said.

"Thanks," I said stepping into the fireplace. I took at hand full of floo powder and POOF, I was standing In McGonagall's office, in her fireplace.

"Hello, Potter. Don't get ash on my carpet," she said.

I rolled my eyes and stepped out of the fireplace.

"After you're settled in Professor Dumbledore would like to speak to you," she said.

"What about?" I asked.

"Perhaps the ALTAP. Perhaps engagement to Mister Malfoy. Perhaps both," McGonagall said. "I really couldn't say."

"Oh, no. You're not getting all nostalgic and parental on me are you, McGonagall?" I asked.

"Well I have watched you grow all your life, Potter," she said. "You have a very bright future ahead of you and you're excelling in the ALTAP which is wonderful and now you're just making even more moves to being an adult. . . I'm quite proud of you."

"Thank you, Professor," I said.

I headed upstairs to Gryffindor tower. Harry and Ron were already there but stood outside the door.

"What are you two waiting on?" I asked.

"We don't know the new password," Ron said.

"Abstinence," a voice from behind said. We turned to see Hermione smiling at us.

The portrait hole opened and we stepped inside.

"Sounds like that password was made special for you, Hannah," Harry said.

"Oh, ha ha," I said.

"But, Hannah," Ron started, "I thought you and Draco already-."

Before he could say another word, I elbowed him in the stomach.

"Down goes Weasley," Harry said.

"Were your holidays good? Hermione asked, helping Ron to his feet.

"Yep, except for our whole shopping excursion," I said. "What a terrifying woman."

"You'll get over it," Hermione said.

"Yeah, but I don't think Lupin, Veronica and Dana ever will," I said. I shuttered. "I'll never call Pansy ugly again. . . That's probably a lie, but after Lisa, my whole perspective on ugly has changed."

"Likewise," Hermione said. "Anyway, we'd better get these dresses upstairs before Emily gets here and has a conniption."

Hermione and I headed up to our room where Kaitlin was sitting on her bed staring ahead at the wall.

"Uh, you okay, Kaitlin?" Hermione asked.

"Sure," she said.

Hermione and I exchanged glances.

"Dude, what's up?" I asked.

". . . Did you know my dad is a death eater and that he left when I was ten years old?" Kaitlin asked. "Yep. He worked as an attaché to the United States Ministry of Magic as a cover but me and my mum always knew he was trouble. Then last year it turns out he attacked and nearly killed your friend Tonks with the help of Fenrir Greyback, but she's so amazing she still somehow managed to get them both in prison. . . I found out this morning he escaped though. He's the only dad I ever knew even though he's actually my step father. He got angry when he left and my mum wouldn't let him see me. They're afraid he'll come after me now."

"But you'll be safe here, at Hogwarts," I said, letting Aria out of her little cage.

"Yeah I know, and they've got Hit Wizards protecting my mum," Kaitlin said. "It's just. . . He's probably more dangerous now that Voldemort is back isn't he?"

"More than likely," I said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. . . " Kaitlin went on.

I pulled Hermione aside. "I have to go see Dumbledore. Talk to her."

"Obviously," Hermione said.

"And feed my cat," I said.

I walked out of Gryffindor Tower and made my way to Dumbledore's office.

I knocked on his door.

"Come in," he said.

I pushed the door open and smiled at him,

"Hello," I said.

"Hannah, come in," he said. "We have something to talk about I heard."

"I'm guessing you're talking about me and Draco being engaged?" I asked sitting down.

"Yes, that would be it," he said.

"You probably think I'm crazy too then don't you?" I asked.

"Well, when I asked you to keep an eye on him I didn't mean you had to marry him," Dumbledore said.

"Of course I knew that. This is something I wanted," I said.

"And you're positive you're making the right decision?" he asked.

"I'm always sure," I said.


	38. Rip Things In Half, Break Stuff In Two

_[A/N: __**WARNING:**__Consumption of food/drink while reading the next two chapters could result in choking, burning yourself, spills, dropped food on your keep and general irritation caused by excessive laughter induced by this chapter and it's nonsense and OOCness. You have been warned. Also, this chapter is for Meegbefresh who asked me to keep these two chapters in this series while I was rewriting it.]_

A week after school began it was the first Hogsmeade trip of the New Year and I was walking down to breakfast with Neville who I felt like I hadn't spoken to in ages.

As we walked downstairs, we ran into Adrian and Melanie, who were laughing.

"What's so funny?" Neville asked.

"You mean. . . You didn't do it?" Melanie asked.

"Didn't do what?" I asked.

"The pictures of Snape plastered all over the Great Hall," Adrian said.

"Why are there pictures of Snape plastered all over the Great Hall?" Neville asked, slightly repulsed.

"I don't know, but someone used a permanent sticking charm on them, and he's pretty mad," Adrian said.

"We all thought it may've been you, Hannah because you were with him when he was ice skating," Melanie said.

"There are pictures of him ice skating stuck to the walls of the Entrance Hall. He's already rounded up Draco, Kassia, Danielle, Kaitlin, Emily, Ron, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione to question them," Adrian said.

"He's looking for you now. I'd go to his office if I were you," Melanie said.

I shot down to Snape's office, abandoning my friends on the stairs. Inside sat each of my friends that were with me on New Year's Eve.

"Hannah, did you put all those pictures up?" Hermione asked.

"No. I haven't even seen them. I was with Neville this morning," I said.

"He's pissed," Kassia said.

"So none of you took the pictures either?" I asked.

"No. We didn't have a camera, remember? Besides, we wouldn't be stupid enough to hang them up around the school. We'd save them and use them as blackmail in the future," Kaitlin said.

"Wow, you have the same mentality as Fred and George," Emily said.

"Well, someone had to be there to take those pictures," Draco said.

"But we were the only ones who were there from our school," Ginny said.

"None of this is making sense," Hermione said.

". . . Hey, do any of the Muggle-born students live in London? Someone who may've been there and seen him?" Emily asked.

"I asked everyone I knew who lived in London if they were going to the carnival. Most of them were going to be out of town and the rest weren't going," Hermione replied.

"You don't think that, like, Veronica or Lupin took those pictures?" Ginny asked.

"After all the times those guys have yelled at us for acting immature, they wouldn't do something like this," Harry said.

"Well Sirius might've but he was practically losing his mind over not having a camera," I said.

The door to the office opened and in stepped a very angry-looking Snape. He glared at me.

"I didn't do it," I said before he could even open his mouth. "And I have no idea who did it."

"We really don't know Professor, honest," Hermione said.

The door burst open, and Dumbledore rushed in. He pointed at Snape.

"Severus, quick! Do something manly! There are pictures of you ice skating all over the school," Dumbledore said.

Snape sighed. "I know, Headmaster."

"Do something manly." Dumbledore conjured up a dictionary. "Rip this is half."

_"Diffindo,"_ Snape said.

Dumbledore sighed. "Quit acting like a bitch, Severus. Rip the damn book in half."

We all exchanged glances at Dumbledore's sudden use of profanity. He repaired the dictionary and handed it to Severus.

Snape held it and tried to rip it in half, but it was a dictionary so he obviously couldn't do it.

Angered, Dumbledore took the dictionary and shouted "Rip things in half!" and tore the dictionary into two clean chunks.

"Holy Merlin flying a Nimbus 2000 backwards!" I shouted as Dumbledore dropped the book on the ground.

"Break stuff in two!" he said. He pointed his wand at a desk and snapped it into two pieces. Everyone looked up at Dumbledore in awe as he left the room repeating "Rip things in half! Break stuff in two!"

We followed Dumbledore down the to the Great Hall, where all the Snape pictures hung.

All the teachers seemed unusually energetic today. It was a bit scary. Dumbledore went to the Hufflepuff table and glared at them all.

"BREAK STUFF IN TWO!" he shouted.

He tapped the table with his wand and it snapped in two right down the middle. All the Hufflepuffs screamed and scattered.

Suddenly all the teachers in the Great Hall went crazy "ripping things in half" and "breaking stuff in two."

"ANARCHY!" McGonagall shouted.

Flitwick stood on top of the staff table, conjured up an electric guitar, and started to play a heavy metal riff.

"Can we like. . . go to Hogsmeade now. . . I'm frightened," Kassia said.

"Uh. . . yes," Snape said. We all left for Hogsmeade, as did many other students.

"What the hell was that?" Emily asked as we started towards Hogsmeade.

"I don't know. I've never seen so much chaos," Hermione said.

"It was scary," I said with a shudder.

We approached Hogsmeade where we could just make out an arguing Tonks and Lupin, with Sirius, Dana and Veronica trying to be peacemakers. They stopped when they saw us.

"Why are you guys so freaked out?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, most of the students I've seen come through here looked like they were running for their lives," Dana added.

"The school has gone to hell. Our teachers are insane," Ginny said.

"It all started when someone posted pictures of Snape ice skating all over the Great Hall. He called all of us down to his office to question us. But then Dumbledore runs in and tells Snape to rip a dictionary in half," Danielle said.

"Why'd he have to rip a dictionary in half?" Tonks asked.

"Because he needed to do something to restore his manliness," Ron said.

"Yes, and Snape couldn't, obviously-it was dictionary! Dumbledore takes the dictionary and rips it in two. Suddenly he's running through the school shouting, 'Rip stuff in half! Break stuff in two!' And when he gets to the Great Hall, he chops the Hufflepuff table in two," Kassia said.

"And suddenly all the other teachers join in, and Flitwick's playing an electric guitar-." I began.

"A guitar?" Lupin asked.

"Yes, and then McGonagall shouted 'Anarchy' as she broke the hour glasses," Harry said.

"It was, quite honestly, the most horrifying thing I've ever seen," Draco said.

". . . That's absurd," Sirius said walking away.

"But, it's true," I said, following him. "Yes, it's all a bit far-fetched, but it's true. I swear."

Sirius turned and looked at me.

"This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," Tonks said.

"Everything surrounding our lives is one big absurdity, if you haven't noticed," Hermione said.

"Severus ice skating," Kassia said.

"Yeah, and Hannah and Draco getting engaged. That was weird and unexpected," Danielle said.

"Lupin dressing up as Morpheus for Halloween last year," Draco said.

"If you didn't know they were true for a fact, you wouldn't believe any of those things," Ginny said.

"This is true, I swear," Harry said.

"Flitwick playing the guitar?" Lupin asked.

"Honest," I said.

The four adults exchanged glances and sighed.

Pansy came running up the road, screaming, with Sabrina, Kristen, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle.

They stopped when they saw us.

"You! You're an Auror right?" Pansy asked, pointing at Tonks.

"Aye," she replied.

"Then get to that school and stop whatever the hell is going," Blaise said.

"Whoa, whoa. What is going on? Really?" Tonks asked.

"The teachers are psychotic. They're all 'rip things in half' and Flitwick's got this archaic music playing on the guitar," Sabrina said.

"I fear for the poor little first and second years," Kristen said.

"Even Peeves high-tailed it out of there," Pansy said.

"Wait. You're telling the truth?" Lupin asked.

"Duh!" Ginny said.

"Only sane person around is Snape, and he's trying to rescue all the students," Sabrina said. "I do hope he's alright."

There was a small explosion, coming from the school. We all jumped and looked up at it.

Tonks turned her back on it.

"Maybe if I pretend it doesn't exist, it'll all go away," Tonks said.

"You're an Auror. You have to do something," Sabrina said.

"I can't act on something this big by myself. I'm liable to be killed. Besides, that would go totally against protocol," Tonks said. "It may be my job to walk blindly into a dangerous situation to help others, but that is just absurd."

"Look, you kids go enjoy Hogsmeade. We'll see what we can do. . . if anything," Veronica said.

"We'll Apparate down to the ministry. You stay on your watch," Dana said. Veronica and Dana Disapparated.

Our group slowly dispersed.

"You wanna go?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. You go ahead. I'll catch up," I said.

"I'll be at Madame Puddifoot's. I didn't get to eat breakfast amidst all the chaos," Draco said.

Draco and I walked to the little teashop and sat down in front of the fireplace.

"How's your first week back been?" Draco asked.

I shrugged. "I feel like I'm in a tizzy with everything going on. Between teaching and studying for my seventh year exams and my NEWTs, I feel like I'm losing my mind."

"You look tired," he said.

"I am. All I do in my free time is sleep. I sleep when I don't even mean to," I said. "This morning, I woke up in the common room under a pile of herbology notes."

"Then just slow down a little," Draco said. "You don't need to kill yourself over this you. You've got six weeks until NEWTs. You're gonna do great."

The door to the tea shop opened. In walked Professor Dumbledore.

"Think he's back to normal?" Draco asked.

"I certainly hope so. Otherwise someone might call him incompetent and then they'll have to place me back into the care of Tonks," I said.

"Hey! Hannah!" Dumbledore said. He made his way over to us.

_*What is he doing?*_

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"I'm kind of-."

"Great. Thanks. They serve any good brandy here? I usually go to Rosemerta's," Dumbledore said.

"It's mostly just coffees and teas," Draco said.

"You'll probably want to go to the Three Broomsticks," I said.

"Nonsense," Dumbledore said. "I'd much rather sit here and make sure you two aren't doing anything promiscuous."

_*Oh God. . . kill me. . . smite me now.*_

"Uh. . . no," Draco said.

"You know, Mister Malfoy, I don't think you and I have had proper time to chat about Hannah," Dumbledore said.

". . . Not that I can recall," Draco said.

"Well, I think you are laboring under the impression that it is only your former professor, Lupin, and also Sirius who will take it upon themselves to, for lack of a better word, punish you for hurting Hannah. This assumption, however, is wrong. You see, Hannah is like a daughter to me. I taught her to walk and talk and read and write and, with a lot of difficulty I taught her to use the toilet."

_*Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.*_

"My point being, if you do hurt Hannah. . . I will make you pay. . . I'll have ways of making you see the error of your ways and when you do see them. . . you'll beg me for your death. . . I'll fill your life with misery and woe. . . the dark places of you mind will be plagued with horrible nightmares and visions that won't leave your head. Ever. Do I make myself clear, Mister Malfoy?" Dumbledore said, deadly serious.

I sat there, mouth agape, as he spoke to Draco.

"Crystal clear, sir," Draco said.

"Good then. Oh, look! It's stopped snowing. I think I may just fancy a drink at the Three Broomsticks. See you later," he said. He got up and walked out of the shop.

"Oh. My. God. That did not just really happen," I said.

"Hannah, it's-"

"I thought maybe because my parents were no longer with us maybe I could avoid one of those moment where your parents show up and completely embarrass you. . . I was wrong," I said. "Leave it to Dumbledore to prove me wrong."

"It's alright," Draco said.

"No, it's not alright. He just said he'd fill your life with misery and woe. Dumbledore said that and he's pretty much-"

"Not a liar and the greatest sorcerer in the world," Draco said.

"Yeah. . . that," I said. I ate the last piece of bacon on my plate. "Can we leave, please?"

"Of course," Draco said.

We walked out of the tea shop and down the streets.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"Someplace where they won't find me," I said.

". . . We could always go to the Shrieking Shack. . . even though it's haunted," Draco said.

"Hardly," a voice said. There stood Lupin.

"Hello," I said.

"Why so glum, chum?" he asked.

"Dumbledore just. . . it's a long story. I'll tell you later," I said.

"Right, well, like I said, the Shrieking Shack isn't haunted, Draco," Lupin said.

"Really?" Draco asked.

"Yes. When I first started school here, they planted the Whomping Willow over a secret passage out of the school that led up to the Shrieking Shack. Course, then it was just an old house," Lupin said.

"Well why'd they do that, plant the willow I mean?" Draco asked.

"Well this is before the Wolfsbane potion. So I'd go under the Whomping Willow every full moon to the shrieking shack to transform," Lupin said. "That's why they heard the screams. You see, cut off from anyone who I could 'attack', I kind of attacked myself and that's where all the rumors came from."

"Oh. . . is that why you've got all those scars?" Draco asked. Lupin nodded.

"Now, the shack doesn't shriek much these days, though you'll surely find the place in bad condition. Broken chairs, claw marks on the walls. It's terrible," Lupin said.

"I learned something new today," Draco said.

"Yeah, I guess so," Lupin said.

Tonks marched over.

"I'm going home and taking the rest of my shift off," Tonks said angrily.

"Why?" Lupin asked.

"I'll tell you why. . . Dumbledore is a cruel, evil man. He walked up to me and said 'Boy, Tonks, you sure have let yourself go, and stop frowning, dear. It'll only make you uglier.' I don't need to take this," Tonks said.

"Tonks-"

"No. He said uglier, implying that I was already ugly," Tonks said. "I'm leaving."

Tonks disapparated away.


	39. And Thus Shit Hits the Fan, Again

_[A/N: Just as before, be careful when consuming comestibles during this chapter as they could end up in your lap or stuck in your throat or on your laptop while you laugh. Yes ladies and gentlemen this is crack fic at its best]._

"I'm so hungry," Ron complained as he lay on his bed.

"If we go down to the Great Hall, we're liable to be killed. You saw what happened to Dennis. . . he was bald," Harry said.

"I'm scared," Ginny said.

"I'm hungry," Ron repeated.

"How are we supposed to eat?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. There were first years rationing out candy earlier," Harry said.

"If only there was someway we could get food where the teachers wouldn't bother us," Kaitlin said.

I sat up on Neville's bed.

"Ugh! How could I be so stupid," I said. "Harry, grab the Marauder's Map and your invisibility cloak."

"Why?" he asked.

"Just do it. Follow me and keep quiet," I said.

We walked out of the boys' room and to the common room.

Luckily, Sabrina was there. I pulled her aside.

"I need your help," I said.

"With what?" she asked.

"This is so our friends don't starve to death," I said.

"Are you leaving the tower?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Are you crazy? We can't leave the tower."

"Sabrina, please," I said.

She sighed. "If Dumbledore tries to kill me, I swear I'll come back and my ghost will haunt you forever."

"I understand perfectly," I said.

Sabrina, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Kaitlin, and I walked out of the dorm.

"What are we doing?" Ron asked.

"My old room is connected directly to the kitchens," I said.

"And that helps us how?" Harry asked as we walked down the stairs from the common room. The seventh floor was deserted, according to the map.

"We'll just go to my room and get food," I said.

"And what about our friends in Slytherin?" Hermione asked.

"That's why I need Sabrina. You go to the Slytherin common room and bring them upstairs," I said.

"And what about Luna? We can't very well let her starve," Ginny said.

"I've got a plan but it's insanely dangerous. Come to my room and we'll work it out," I said.

We dashed to my room.

"Have enough crap in here?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, it looks like you got into a fight with the library and got your ass kicked," Kaitlin said.

"Yep," I replied. "That's the story of my life. But back to the plan. Harry and Sabrina will take the Marauders Map, sneak down to the Slytherin common room, and bring our friends back up. Hermione and I will sneak through the kitchens and to the Ravenclaw common room to get Luna under Harry's cloak," I said.

"I finally realize how you guys get into so much trouble," Sabrina said.

"How do you plan on getting into the Ravenclaw common room?" Ron asked.

"Well they ask you a question and you have to be clever as hell to answer it. Hermione's the cleverest person I know. . . . If neither of us can answer that question, we'll have to resort to knocking on the door and praying that someone answers," I said.

"Ravenclaws are smarter than to answer the door to their common room when it's knocked on, especially when the school is a war zone," Sabrina said.

"But they have to, dammit! I can't let Luna starve! No man left behind. . . . Which reminds me. . . Ron, you should go get Emily from the common room. And Danielle, Melanie and Parvati," I added.

"But you've got all the protection. I'll be completely out in the open," Ron protested.

"It's okay, Ron. I believe in you," Ginny said, hugging her bother.

"And me as well," Hermione said, kissing his cheek.

He sighed. "All right. But Ginny, you stay here. Be safe," he said.

"The password to get into my room is 'Harry'. Now all of you-"

"I can't just sit here and wait for you to get back. I have to help," Ginny said.

"Get food from the elves," I said. I opened the door to the kitchens and grabbed Harry's cloak.

"I'll be back," Hermione said. We climbed through the door and pulled the cloak over us. We went out the door, tripping over house elves as we went.

We came out of the basement and went upstairs to the Ravenclaw tower. We pulled the cloak off.

"I'll try first," I said. I knocked on the door. The knocker came to life.

"Whoa. Charles Dickens much," Hermione said.

"Indeed," I said.

"What is worth more than gold?" the knockers asked.

My eyes narrowed on it. "That's a trick question."

"Well give it a go anyway," Hermione said.

I sighed. "Platinum."

"Incorrect," the knocker said. I growled.

"This is why I'm Gryffindor. I have not the time to deal with this bullshit," I said.

Hermione tried this time.

"What is worth more than gold?" the knocker asked.

Hermione thought for a moment.

"Hmm. . . Hmm. . . Oh! I know!" she said.

"Well, give it a go," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Well, if wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure, wouldn't it be worth more than gold?" Hermione asked.

"That is absolutely correct," the knocker said.

The door opened. I glared at Hermione.

"I hate you," I said. We walked into the common room. The only person in there was Cho. She stood, wand out, when she saw us.

"How'd you get in here?" she asked.

"I'm Ravenclaw reject," Hermione said. "I won't look around or anything. We just want to see Luna."

Cho glared at us.

"Please," Hermione said. Cho sighed and went upstairs. A moment later, Luna came down.

"Hello," she said.

"Hi. We've come to save you," I said.

"Save me from what?" Luna asked.

"Hunger," Hermione replied.

"Oh! You've brought food?" she asked.

"Uh, no. . . . We're taking you to it," I said.

"Oh. . . . Well, that works too," Luna said.

We led her from her common room and put the cloak back on.

"Be, very quiet. We don't know if any of the teachers are out," Hermione hissed. Just as we walked down the stairs, McGonagall, Dumbledore and Flitwick walked out.

"We're devils, we're black sheep, we're really bad eggs. Drink up me hearties ,yo-ho! Yo-ho! Yo-ho! A pirate's life for me!" they sang.

"Hey, Minerva," Dumbledore began. He took McGonagall's scarf and tied it over one of his eyes. "I'm a pirate. Argh!"

"You look like a pirate!" she laughed.

"Hey! Let's go fight the kraken!" Flitwick suggested.

"Yeah! And then we can send Davy Jones to his own damn locker!" Minerva said.

"Hey!" Profesesor Sinistra said running up to them. "Slughorn reckons he can eat one hundred marshmallow peeps!"

"No way! He'll puke!" Dumbledore said.

"I told him that but he's totally gonna try it anyway," Sinistra said.

"We gotta check that!" Flitwick said.

"Yeah! We can fight the kraken later!" McGonagall said.

The group of four started down the corridor, all singing 'A Pirate's Life For Me'

"That's crazy," Luna said.

"Understatement of the year," Hermione said.

"Understatement of the year _so far_," I said.

We walked out into the corridor and down to my room. We walked up the stairs and through to the trap door. When I tried to push it up, someone was standing on it.

I pulled off the cloak and knocked. "Oi! We're down here," I called.

The door opened and we climbed up. It was nice to see that everyone was there already, and Draco was helping get everyone fed as he knew the drill with the house elves.

"I've got Luna," I said, pulling her up.

"Hello," she said.

"So everyone's good on food then?" I asked.

"Yep!" Ron said, mouth full of chicken.

"You'll choke if you talk with food in your mouth," Hermione said.

Just then there was sound in Dumbledore's office. We all immediately went silent.

We listened to his office.

"CHUG IT! CHUG IT! CHUG IT! CHUG IT! CHUG IT!" people chanted as they walked into the office.

Suddenly there was an uproar of applause and cheering.

"Bam! I told you I could I could totally chug 3 bottles of fire whiskey! And you doubted me!" Dumbledore said. They all cheered. "But you Horace. . . You only ate 98 peeps. . . You failed! GET OUT!"

We all exchanged glances.

"Headmaster, should you really be drinking in your condition?" Snape asked.

"Shut up bitch! You know who the fuck I am? I'm Dumbledore, bitch. I'm bad. I'm the baddest muthafuka in the world. Have you ever seen a costume of mine?" Dumbledore asked.

I hung my head in shame. "And that, ladies gentlemen, is the man who raised me."

Then something broke.

"Oh snap!" Trelawney said. "Look at this! They just went back in the jar!"

They'd obviously broken Dumbledore's auto-repair jelly bean jar.

"Yo! Look at this! It fixed itself!" she shouted.

"So. . . . They've been on the floor. . . . Can we still eat them?" Sprout asked.

"Yeah. Is it cool, Albus? I got the munchies," Flitwick said.

"It's that Mary Jane. I got the munchies," McGonagall said.

"Oh! Oh! Hannah's room! It's connected to the kitchen!" Dumbledore said.

"SHIT!" I said, out loud.

"We have to go now!" Harry said.

But the door to my room had opened. We all froze. No one moved, we barely breathed.

The teachers froze too. Snape strode back and forth between us and Dumbledore.

"Pomona. . . . What was in that weed? I'm seeing children," he said.

"I see them too," Flitwick said.

"Are they real?" Sinistra asked, poking Neville. He looked like he would cry.

"Listen. . . . If we don't move. . . . They can't see us. I read about it. Children can't see you if you remain completely still," Dumbledore said. They all froze.

"They've been drinking. And smoking," Snape said.

"Where did they get weed?" Kassia asked.

"Professor Sprout," Snape said.

"I knew it wasn't oregano she was growing!" Neville said.

"Severus. You can speak to them? Tell them we mean them no harm. We come in peace," Dumbledore said.

"This is our headmaster?" Harry asked.

"HARRY POTTER!" Dumbledore suddenly shouted.

Harry froze in fear.

"Sir?" he asked.

"I got a joke. What did the five fingers say to the face?" Dumbledore asked.

"Er . . . I don't know, sir," Harry said.

"SLAP!" Dumbledore shouted as he slapped Harry right across the face, knocking him down to the ground.

The group of teachers burst out into laughter. Snape chuckled; even as he was trying to help us he found it funny.

The rest of us stood there, scared, confused, appalled, a mixture of feelings we didn't understand.

"I wanna go home," Luna cried raspily. "I can't do it. . . . I want my daddy. . . ."

Tears streaked her face. Ginny was crying too.

"You hit me!" Harry shouted.

"What?" Dumbledore asked confused.

"You just slapped me!" he said.

"What! That was weeks ago!" Dumbledore said.

"No you just did thirty seconds ago!" Harry shouted.

"Do something, Snape!" I shouted.

"Albus! You've angered them!" McGonagall said

"Oh no!" Dumbledore said. "Quickly, everyone, bow. Maybe we can fool them into thinking we owe them our allegiance."

One by one, everyone started bowing and chanting, "We're not worthy."

"I'm frightened," Kassia said.

"I knew I should've stayed in the dorm," Blaise said.

"Hannah . . . I love you," Draco said.

"And I love you," I replied.

"DUDE! It's a floor!" Trelawney said.

"No way!" Flitwick said.

"It's spinning!" Sprout said. "Ahh! We're spinning!"

"WHEE!" Sinistra cried.

"Where is everyone?" Ron asked.

"I alerted them, but no one has come yet," Snape said. "We should be okay-"

"OKAY? OKAY? SEVERUS! They are stoned! They are plastered. . . . No! THEY ARE COMPLETELY FUCKED UP! They destroyed the school! They scared Peeves away! I am afraid for my life! We will not be okay!" I shouted.

"How did this happen?" Kassia asked.

"Well. . . ." Ginny began. We all turned to her.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Well . . . I may've had something to do with this," Ginny admitted.

"What do you mean you may've had something to do with this?" Harry asked.

"It's a possibility," Ginny said.

"What did you do?" Snape asked.

"Well. . . Fred and George gave me this prototype potion for my birthday. It's called a silly potion. . . . It make you act . . . silly," Ginny said. "Well. . . . I may've had Dobby the house elf spike the teachers' pumpkin juice and coffee this morning. . . . I may've. . . . This is hypothetical, of course."

"Ginny," I began, angry, "what other hypotheses do you have?"

"Well it's a prototype so. . . . You know. . . . All the kinks aren't worked out. . . . One of them being . . . total lack of judgment and sanity. . . . Also . . . it gets stronger as time goes on. . . I expect maybe it would've worn off already, but with all the drugs and alcohol. . . . Maybe it just kicked it up a notch," Ginny said.

"Weasley. . . This is so far past detention. . . . Past house points. . . . Expulsion," Snape said.

"You have detention, Ginny Weasley!" I shouted.

"Ow . . . I hit my head," Dumbledore said. "My head hurts now."

"Dude! Severus has morphine in his closet. It'll totally get rid of your headache," Trelawney said.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" McGonagall said. The teachers filed out.

"Morphine? What are you standing here for? Go stop them! Morphine is a helluva drug! Large amounts are lethal!" I said.

Snape dashed out after them.

I turned back to Ginny.

"Why didn't you tell us you were responsible for this before?" shouted.

"Because you act this way," Ginny said.

"No. . . . I should kick your ass! That's how I should react! I should throw you from the Astronomy tower. I am calm compared to what I should be doing! I SHOULD tell you mom and she'll find out anyway but. . . ." I took a deep breath. "Happy thoughts. . . . Happy thoughts. . . . Here's what we do. Write to the twins and tell them to not sell this stuff. Also, tell them that they're completely irresponsible for leaving this in the hands of their sister, who is a watered-down version of them. Then, we're going to Professor Snape's classroom, getting the blow darts, and shooting all of our teachers with knock-out potion. We are then going to go back to our respective common rooms, get under our blankets, curl into the fetal position, and try to block out all memories of this day. . . . And if that's not what you do. . . . That's what I'm going to do."

"You have to admit though . . . it was pretty hilarious," Emily said.

"No one is going to believe us," Danielle said. "It's New Year's all over again."

"I think they do believe us. There aren't any Aurors, no other adults, not even anyone from the Ministry. I think when Tonks left Hogsmeade after being insulted by Dumbledore and students running in fear from the school after a mysterious explosion that they pretty much decided to-"

"Oh God!" Harry said. "Hagrid!"

"Holy snap! I forgot about him!" I said.

"You don't think it affected him like everyone else? He's part giant," Hermione said.

"And Dumbledore is the most stable person we know! Damn it, Hermione, he's already crazy! What do you think will happen if he's drunk and high and all sorts of other unpleasant things?" Ron shouted. "Remember the skwerts!"

"Only one way to find out," I said. We all raced from my room and headed downstairs to the Entrance Hall.

When we reached it, we pushed the doors open and off in the distance we saw what was, by far, the most absurd thing ever.

Hagrid was flying toward the school on a dragon, shouting, "Yeah!"

I dropped down into the fetal position. "I quit. I quit. I quit."

"As if our lives weren't traumatic enough," Harry said.

Hagrid flew into the school on the dragon, who breathed fire as it went.

"Where the hell did he get a dragon? This is absurd!" Sabrina said. Hagrid made a U-turn and flew back toward us.

"Hermione! Come fly with me on the dragon!" he shouted. He grabbed her hand flew out of the school.

I closed my eyes.

"It's all a bad dream . . . I'm gonna wake up. . . It's all a bad dream," I cried.

"Crap!" Ron shouted as he chased after her. "I'm taking your broom Harry! Accio Firebolt!"

As Ron ran, the Firebolt zoomed down to him. He jumped on and flew off into the distance, out of sight.

"Well. . . That about tops everything now, doesn't it?" Draco asked.

"Yep," Blaise said.

"I believe I can fly!" someone sang out. Just then Madame Pomfrey hit the ground behind us there was a loud crack. "Ow. . . I think I've broken something."


	40. The After

_[A/N: The Nonsense is over. Back to normality. I hope you enjoyed it. The next few chapters will leave you on the edge of your seats I hope.]_

I woke the next morning in the Great Hall to someone tapping me on the shoulder.

I opened my eyes and saw Lupin standing over me.

"LUPIN!" I cried throwing my arms around him, bursting into tear. "It was horrible! Where have you been?"

"Sorry, we had no idea," Lupin said.

"Everything is fine now," Tonks said. "Just tell us what happened."

"I'll tell you what happened, Ginny Weasley just outdid the twins and the marauders combined in one day," I said.

"Well is everyone is okay?" Kingsley asked.

"The students in the school are fine, but Ron and Hermione?" Draco said.

"Where are they?" Tonks asked.

"Hagrid took Hermione away on a dragon and Ron followed after them on my broom," Harry explained.

"A dragon?" Moody asked.

"I didn't stutter. I saw Hagrid fly on a dragon, snatch Hermione and Ron followed on my Firebolt. You can't make this up!" Harry cried.

"Okay, so where are all the teachers?" Remus asked.

"Last I heard they were in the dungeon. Something about morphine. Snape is the only one we can trust," Kassia said.

"Please just find them and put a stop to the madness," Kristen cried.

Just then the doors from the dungeon opened. Out slunk Snape, looking tired and disgruntled. When he saw the Order, his face twisted with rage.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" he shouted. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THESE PAST TWENTY-FOUR HOURS?"

"Severus, we got here as fast as we could-"

"That is unacceptable," Snape said.

"So what exactly happened?" Sirius asked.

"Well, Ginny Weasley thought it would be a clever idea to use a prototype potion made by her two dimwitted brothers to spike the drinks of the staff members. Fortunately for me I was too pissed off by the photos of me ice skating posted all over the Great Hall to actually eat breakfast," Snape said.

Sirius snickered.

"What?" Snape asked.

"Well. . . I kinda put those pictures up," he admitted.

"What? When? How? Oh, God, never mind. . . . It's too much right now. . . . Anyway, this silly potion Weasley used apparently made all of the teachers go temporarily insane and as the day grew on it apparently became worse. Especially when Sprout gave them marijuana," Snape said.

"Oh. . . . My. . . . God," Remus said.

"That's not the worst of it. . . it was magic weed. That on top of fire whiskey on a normal day bad enough, but Dumbledore chugged three bottles of firewhiskey and I'm pretty sure Trelawney was also on acid, but I'm not sure and she's an alcoholic anyway," Snape said.

"Oh. My. God," Tonks said.

"Dumbledore and McGonagall disappeared for hours and no one knows where they went," Snape said.

"Dumbledore slapped me!" Harry cried.

"What?" Moody asked.

"He. . . . A joke. . . . Slap. . . . And he didn't remember," Harry said as Ginny held him.

"Ginny Weasley, you are in massive amounts of trouble. I can't even begin to explain what Mum is going to do when she finds out," Bill said. "Why would you use prototype anything that Fred and George have? Have you lost your mind?"

"I didn't exactly expect things to spin out of control like this," Ginny said.

"Uncontrolled substance in an uncontrolled situation. What, exactly, did you expect to happen?" Bill asked.

"Well, like, maybe they'd just laugh for a long time," Ginny said.

"It's not bubble juice! It's an unknown substance made by our brothers! What is wrong with you?" Bill asked. "Now Ron and Hermione are gone, There's a dragon loose in England, the school is destroyed, you're all scarred for life . . . you are in so much trouble!"

"I'm sorry," Ginny said.

"So now what?" I asked.

The doors from the dungeon opened again. The teachers of the school dragged themselves out.

"Yes. . . A tattoo that says, what?" Dumbledore asked.

"It says 'Thugnificent', Sir," McGonagall said.

Lupin and Sirius exchanged glances.

"My head is killing me," Dumbledore said. "That light is really bright. . . . Turn off the sun."

"Professor-" Tonks began.

"Whoa. . . . Tonks. . . . You're talking at 10 . . . bring it down to a two," he said.

"What happened last night?" Tonks asked.

"I don't remember anything past yesterday morning," Dumbledore said.

"My life is so over," Ginny said. "Just snap my wand now."

"I don't want to know what happened last night," Slughorn said.

"This is absurd. What happened last night?" Sprout asked.

"It wasn't just last night. . . . We've all been terrified since yesterday morning," Neville said.

Dumbledore peered into the Great Hall.

"What in the. . . ." he dashed into the Great Hall. "What happened?" He spun around to me. "What did you do?"

"What did we do? What did we do? Mister Break Stuff In Half, Rip Stuff In Two, you did it with all the other teachers!" Hannah shouted.

"Stop yelling," Dumbledore said, grabbing his head. "Okay. . . . Where are all the students?"

"In their dorms, terrified to come out because of all of you," Kassia said.

"How did this happen?" McGonagall asked. Ginny stepped forward and explained what had happened. Dumbledore and McGonagall sighed.

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. My, are you in a world of trouble." McGonagall said.

"I don't even know how to punish you.. I just. . . . All right . . . Miss Weasley, first we're going to get over this hangover, we'll clean up the school . . . talk down the students and assure them we're normal and then . . . we'll go from there. I don't know when . . . I don't know how . . . but I can assure you, when you do get punished for this it will be severe. . . . And I do not use that term lightly," Dumbledore said. "I have one last question to ask. Does anyone know how exactly it is that I ended up with a tattoo that says 'Thugnificent'?"

My brain skipped. That wasn't a question I expected to hear.

"No, then . . . Right," he said. He took a deep breath. "Order members, new assignment. Clean this up. I don't care how long it takes, I don't care how you do it. Just fix it. And Weasley, you will help."

"I figured as much," Ginny said.

Just then the doors to the Entrance Hall opened .There stood Ron, soaked from head to toe as the shone on him brilliantly, creating an aura of golden light around him.

His face was serious and tired. Before anyone even got a chance to speak, he spoke first.

"I do NOT want to talk about it and you can't make me," he said. He walked in, followed by Hermione who returned Harry's broom to him. Ron walked over to his sister. "I . . . HATE . . . YOU AND I RUE THE DAY YOU WERE BORN!"

"Oi . . . Ron . . . no screaming," Dumbledore said.

"Did you guys forget me?" Madame Pomfrey asked, lying on the floor.

"What happened?" Sinistra asked.

"I hurt myself," she said.

Dumbledore looked as though he would faint.

"What to do...? What to do...?" McGonagall said. "Our healer needs a healer."

"Just. . . . Go back to your houses and tell everyone it's safe now, I guess. Anyone talking above a whisper or carrying an illuminated wand will receive detention," Dumbledore said.

888

The next day, things were back to normal. The teachers' hangovers were gone, the school was clean, and no one was afraid to go to classes that Monday.

Ginny sat at the table the next morning for breakfast. She had just come from Dumbledore's office, where her punishment had been decided.

"So, what's the damage?" I asked.

"My mum was there," she said. "It was horrible. Mum ranted for about 10 minutes, scolding me and yelling, and she threw the word 'disappointed' around a lot, as well. I'd rather have her be angry than disappointed," Ginny said. "And then Dumbledore-well, you know Dumbledore. He's a very silent-rage type person. So he went on and on about consequences, cause and effect, and even the affects of opium. Finally, he decided against taking house points. He instead decided that I had a three week in school suspension and detention every Friday," she explained. "Oh, yes, except today. I have detention tonight. . . ." Ginny leered at me. "I cannot believe you."

"You really gave Ginny detention?" Ron asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Excuse me for being insensitive but. . . we have a Quidditch match in two weeks," Harry said.

"Oh, yeah! I can't play, Harry. Students under suspension aren't allowed to play Quidditch. I'm so sorry. . . You'll have to play Seamus instead," Ginny said.

"You're killing me here, Ginny. Seamus isn't even half the player you are. You're our best scorer," Harry said. "It'd take ages to pull Seamus up to your level, even somewhere remotely close to it."

"But you're the best captain this team has ever seen, Harry! I believe in you," Ginny said.

"But Seamus doesn't take directions well," Harry said.

Ginny leaned over and kissed him. "But you're a great teacher Harry," Ginny said. She kissed him again. "I believe you can do it."

Ginny rose from the table and left.

"Well then . . ." Harry began, "every night Hufflepuff hasn't got the pitch booked, we'll take it and use it to practice, up to the night before the game."

"Every day?" Ron asked. "You're losing it again, man! No one is going to follow that practice schedule."

"Jimmy and Ritchie have no lives; Demelza values her spot on the team; Dean's only a reserve player so if he doesn't follow this he's gone, the same goes for Seamus; but you. . . If you don't show up I'll drag your ass down to practice myself, no matter what you're in the middle of," Harry said.

"No matter what?" Ron asked doubtfully.

"I don't care if you're in mid-coitis with Hermione. I'll drag you down the pitch anyway and make you play stark naked in the middle of the snow," Harry said.

"Graphic much. People are still trying to eat," I said pointedly. "And besides, I'll have no talk of her deflowering Ron at the breakfast table."

"Wait a second, why would I be deflowering him?" Hermione asked.

"It's just my default bias, Hermione. You'd be the one to make him do it," I said.

"So that's it, then?" Hermione asked.

"Yep," I said. "It doesn't matter, there shouldn't be a likely possibility of it occurring in the immediate future."

"Besides," Ron began, "you can't deflower someone who's already-"

Hermione covered his mouth quickly and shushed him.

"Wait, what?" I asked.

"Nothing," Ron said.

"You were saying something," I said.

"He wasn't saying anything," Hermione said through clenched teeth.

"I don't buy this for a minute," I said. "You two've done something."

"When would we have had the time to do what you are insinuating?" Ron asked.

They did spend every waking moment with us . . . and every sleeping one, too.

Then it hit me.

"What happened after you left to get Hermione on Saturday? When Hagrid took her on the dragon?" I asked. "Why won't you discuss the details?"

"It was traumatic," Hermione said.

"He can't be _that_ bad," I said.

"It wasn't anything like that!" Ron said.

"We were talking about Quidditch. How did we get here?" Harry asked.

"I'll drop this for now. But I've got my eyes on you two," I warned. "Two eyes, always watching."


	41. Evil Be the Stomach Virus

_[A/N: I'm pleased to see you all enjoyed the last three chapters. This chapter is for Mika927 who caught my Hagird/Family Guy reference! I love you!]_

By the beginning of February, the incident involving the teachers had been dubbed "The Greatest Prank of All Time" was a distant, repressed, memory.

I was running on empty but thoughts of Valentine's Day being next Sunday kept me optimistic. Draco wasn't going to be able to attend because his slacking had landed him on academic probation and he wasn't allowed to do anything fun until Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were pleased with his improvement. Since he wasn't going to be able to come with me, I'd made plans to have tea with Lupin in Hogsmeade that day instead.

I was walking down to the dungeons to Snape's classroom to have a word with him when I ran into a face I hadn't spoken to in an exceptionally long time.

"Pansy Parkinson," I said, approaching her.

"Oh, long time no see, Potter," she said. "I've almost missed you."

"Likewise," I said. "I'm going to assume that since you've been flying under my radar all year that your pursuit of my beloved Draco has come to an end."

"I suppose. Besides, Draco has too much baggage for me to carry," she said.

"So. . . Do you think there's any possibility that you and I could be. . . civil acquaintances?" I asked.

Pansy scoffed. "I don't really see why not, except that, everything about you still really pisses me off."

"Yeah. . . You do still kind of look like a pug," I said.

"Oh, and I guess you're still kind of a bitch," she said. "What's this stupid program you're doing anyway? The one where you graduate early?"

"Oh, the ALTAP. Basically it lets me finish school early and get my teaching license at 17," I said.

"So you want to be stuck in this stupid school forever is what I'm hearing?" Pansy asked. "And you want forever to start as soon as possible."

"Sure," I said. "What are you doing down here anyway."

"Last I checked, my dorm was down here," Pansy said. "And you?"

"I just needed a word with Snape," I said.

We both came to Snape's door and peered inside. We both somehow managed to hold our gasps as we walked away from the door.

"We both saw the same thing, didn't we?" I asked.

"Professor Snape making out with Sabrina? I should say so," Pansy said.

"Right. So I'm not crazy," I said.

"No," Pansy said.

"Well, what do we do?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Snape is dating a student," I said. Pansy hushed me. "And not just any student, Sabrina. Our mutual friend. Your only friend."

"She is _not_ my only friend," Pansy hissed at me.

"Hush," I said. I pulled her back upstairs away from the door.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "If we tell, Snape will lose his job, you will be stuck teaching DADA until they find a replacement, Sabrina will hate you, Kassia will have to transfer school to get away from the people heckling her for the incident, same for Sabrina, and it will be all our fault."

"You're right. We definitely can't be friends. You attitude sucks," I said. "But you're right. We'll just ignore it. Besides, Sabrina is 17. She's allowed to snog whoever she pleases. . . Oh, man this is so unethical."

"Like you've never done anything unethical," she said.

"True but I've never snogged a teacher," I said.

"Look, just stop talking about. Pretend it never happened," Pansy said.

I sighed. "Well obviously I'm not going to see Snape right now. I'm just going to go to the library and try to replace this memory with things I read there."

"Good luck with that," she said.

I walked away from Pansy and headed up to the library where I found Draco.

"Hey, surprise to see you here," I said.

"You too. I thought you went to see Snape," he said.

"Yeah. . . Change of plans," I said. "And lucky you, there's a test in DADA today so I don't have to go today if I don't want to and I know that Slughorn cancelled your class today so there's a whole hour and a half before your next class that I can spend with you."

"Oh yes. Well, then. Let's not waste time studying," Draco said.

"Studying is not a waste of time," I said.

"But I don't need to study right now," Draco said.

"I do. I barely have any free time to study," I said. "Why don't we just stay here and study?"

"As 'fun' as that sounds, and I say fun loosely, I've got stuff to do," Draco said.

I sighed. "That stupid 'project' you won't tell me anything about?" I asked.

"You'll see; I just can't tell you now what it is," Draco said.

"I'm starting to think that you may never tell me," I complained.

"I might never, if you keep nagging me about it," Draco said, annoyed. I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. If you'd rather work on your stupid little project than keep me company while I study, then be gone," I said, looking down at my books.

I expected him to sit back down, but when I looked back up, he was walking out of the library.

888

"He's an ass sometimes, just let it go," Ron said to me. I was lying on my bed in the dorm and Ron was keeping me company.

"He's not just an ass sometimes, Ron. He's moody. He's like a girl sometimes," I said.

"So, that's the reason you're not eating dinner?" Ron asked.

"No. I'm not eating dinner because I don't feel well," I replied.

"Maybe it's because you haven't eaten anything," Ron said. "I feel sick when I don't eat."

"I think maybe I've gone and made myself upset over Draco," I said. "I just need to sleep it off."

"I'm glad I'm not a girl. I like that my feelings don't make me sick," Ron said.

"You're so insensitive at times, Ron," I said. "I'm going to sleep."

"It's barely eight o'clock," Ron said.

"It's only for a while. I'll be up in an hour or so," I said. "Come back and check on me after dinner."

"Okie dokie," he said.

I turned over and closed my eyes as Ron left the room.

It felt like only moments later someone was shaking me awake.

"Dinner over already?" I asked.

"Would you like to know what time is, Hannah?" Ron asked.

"Nine," I said.

"It's eight thirty," Ron said.

"So what?" I asked.

"Eight thirty in the morning," Ron said.

"What?" I asked opening my eyes. Sure enough the sun was starting to creep in from outside. "You're joking. I was sleeping for-."

"Thirteen hours," Ron said.

"Holy crap," I said sitting up.

"Indeed. Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm just gonna go get to studying and grab some food before I have to potions," I said. "And I totally forgot I have to cover that whole class today. I really need to get it together."

"I'll see you at lunch okay?" Ron said.

Ron walked out of my room as I dragged myself out of bed. How could someone sleep for 13 hours and still be tired?

I was probably getting sick. My bad eating habits, the sleepless nights, and all the times I sat outside to watch the team practice for Quidditch were coming back to haunt me.

I got dressed and headed to my little room to eat and study for a bit before I headed to fifth year potions.

"Hello, Professor Sleepy Head," Luna said to me. "I heard you crashed last night."

"I did and I feel like crap this morning," I said.

"Crap like how?" Luna asked.

"Like I feel like my stomach is going to jump out my throat and that my head might explode," I said. "I'd say I need rest but I just slept for half a day so I doubt that's the issue."

"Well you did eat all that ravioli at lunch yesterday," Luna said.

"Ugh, don't remind me. That wasn't a very bright idea," I said walking to the front of class. I looked over Slughorn's lesson, trying to ignore how gross my stomach felt.

"Alright, today. . ." I started, looking at the class, then down at the empty cauldron in front of me.

For someone reason my body though this was its cue to fill the empty cauldron with puke.

_*Fucking. Fantastic.*_

"Today, it looks like you have a free period. Enjoy it," I said.

888

"That's hilarious," Harry said at lunch.

"It's not funny," Hermione said. "But we did tell you that ravioli looked off yesterday and you didn't eat dinner last night. It's no wonder you got sick."

"Well I feel fine now, just tired and actually kind of hungry," I said.

". . . You're sure you're okay though?" Ron asked.

"Don't freak out, Ron. She's fine. She just needs to start taking better care of herself," Hermione said.

"I appreciate your concern Ron, since I'm not getting any sympathy from my brother," I said leering at Harry.

"That's what brothers do," he said. "Oh, and have you talked to Draco at all today?"

"No, obviously. Why?" I asked.

"He wanted to tell you something about apologizing for bailing on you in the library yesterday or something like that," Harry said.

"Oh, yeah. It totally slipped my mind that he was being a jerk yesterday," I said with a sigh. "But whatever. It's not like it matters anymore. I have bigger fish to fry."

"Like of the stomach virus kind," Hermione said. "Are you going to miss your DADA teaching too?"

"Yeah. Besides, you know how Snape gets when you bring sick germs into his classroom. I may feel better but he'll flip out if I show up," I said. "I'm just going to sit in my room and do work for the rest of the day. I need to make up for all the studying I missed out when I fell asleep last night."

"That was amazing. I don't think I've ever seen you sleep for so long on your own," Hermione said.

"On my own?" I asked.

"Yeah, without the aid of a dark wizard injuring you so badly you end up unconscious for hours or days," she explained.

It was pretty sad that my life had to be explained that way.


	42. A Right To Be Wrong

_[A/N: For this chapter, make sure you wear a helmet so you don't make a mess when I BLOW YOUR MIND. Haha. Awesome. I can't wait to read your reactions.]_

_[A/N II: Also, today is Andrew Slack's birthday! Andrew Slack is the co-founder of the Harry Potter Alliance. For his birthday all you have to do is ONE Magical Act of Kindness, or MAK4Slack!]_

_[A/N III: Yes, it is also Ginny Weasley's birthday. All the more reason for MAK4SLACK]_

During last period I was sitting in my dorm finishing off the end of my herbology books and looking through my notes. There was a knock on the door.

I looked up at it and thought for a moment. All of my friends were in class right now.

". . . Come in," I said.

The door creeked open and Ron leaned in.

"Hey. Shouldn't you be in Transfiguration right now?" I asked.

"Yeah but. . . There was something more important I needed to talk to you about," he said.

"I don't mean to be an ass, but I kind of doubt it," I said closing my book. "But what is it." Ron closed the door behind him and locked it. ". . . Is this like that alcohol intervention you guys were talking about giving me for ages, because you do realize the last time I actually drank something was at Slughorn's party."

"Why?" Ron asked.

I shrugged. "A little voice in my head said not to."

"What little voice?" Ron asked.

"The voice of my future alcoholism dying a slow agonizing death. Why? Do you think Voldemort is interested in my sobriety?" I asked.

"No, that's not what I meant," Ron said.

"Well I'm also pretty sure that there are no more basilisks crawling around the school and, again, I don't think they're much interested in what I drink either," I said.

"No, Hannah. It's got nothing to do with that," he said.

"Then what is it that you have to say that requires you to close and lock a door and skip class and just act. . . Weird?" I asked. "You've been acting weird all week."

"Well, I'm kind of worried about you," he said sitting down next to me.

"Why?" I asked.

". . . Haven't you noticed anything different about yourself?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No. Like what?"

"Your mood has been all. . . Up and down," he said. "You sleep all the time. You're randomly sick for no reason."

"So I need to see a healer. No big. Everyone gets sick once in a while," I said.

Ron shook his head. "You don't sleep for 13 hours. You don't get sick in the middle of teaching a class. You don't forgive Malfoy for acting like an ass without getting an explanation. You've _hated_ ravioli since you were nine. You're not acting like yourself and nobody else may be able to see what's going on here but I've been your friend for too long not to notice."

". . . You're freaking me out, Ron," I said. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Mostly," Ron said, "but I think that you. . ."

"You think that I what?" I asked.

Ron looked down to his feet. "You know. . ."

"No, Ron, I don't," I said.

". . . I think you. . . That you may be suing Trojan in the future," Ron said.

". . .What does that even mean?" I asked, confusedly.

_*Does everyone I know speak in riddles when they're trying to tell me something "important"?*_

"You know what it means," Ron said. "Trojan makes. . ."

". . . Horses?" I asked.

"NO!" Ron said face palming himself. "Have you ever considered the possibility that you could be pregnant, Hannah?"

For a split second I was horrified, and in the next moment I was offended.

I opened my mouth to shout at him again but instead I was on my feet and walking over to my dresser and pulled out the planner Hermione had given me for Christmas where I kept track of my "monthly visitor" along with my study schedule and other things.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

". . . Five weeks," I said.

"What?" Ron asked.

"I'm five weeks late. . . That can't be. . . I _can't_ be," I said. Ron walked up next to me. "How. . . How could you know?"

". . . Emily actually suspected it first," Ron said. He reached into his bag and pulled out a pregnancy test. He sat it on my dresser. "She gave me this to give to you. . . She thought it might be better if you heard from me."

"You didn't say anything to Draco or Harry did you?" I asked.

"Of course. I'd been looking for a reason for them to kick my ass all week," Ron said. I chuckled. "No I didn't tell them. What if me and Emily were wrong? I _hope_ I'm wrong."

"You're not the only one," I said picking the test up off my dresser.

888

I sat on my bed next to Ron staring at a wall.

"Do you remember when I first met you, Ron?" I asked

"When you looked at me and said 'we both have red hair. That's _so_ weird'? Yeah, of course," he chuckled.

"Did you think that 11 years later you'd be sitting next to me in my bedroom waiting for the longest three minutes of my life to pass while we waited to see if my death eater fiancé knocked me up?" I asked.

"Nope," he said. "Not at all."

"How did it come to this?" I asked.

"I wish I knew," he said. "But I'll still be your best friend no matter what happens."

I looked down at my watch. "Looks like we figure out that 'what' right now."

I walked over to my dresser and picked the menacing little stick up from the dresser.

"Fuck," I said. "Little, pink plus sign."

888

I walked into Draco's dorm where he was trying, in vain, to explain to Crabbe and Goyle how to do something.

"Hey, Hannah, long time no see," Blaise said to me, looking up from the work he was doing with Kassia, Kristen and Pansy.

"Hey," I said.

I'd spent the last half an hour in my room crying with Ron and still with Draco and Dumbledore to tell, I suspected I wasn't done crying yet.

"You okay?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied. I knew my face was probably still red from crying. "Can I just talk to you, alone and stuff?"

Draco walked away from Crabbe and Goyle and came to stand with me in the hallway, closing the door behind him.

"What's up? Why do you look so upset?" he asked.

"There. . . There's no easy way to say this. . ." I started.

"You're not breaking up with me again are you?" he asked.

"No, no, no, no, no, no," I said. "It's just. . ."

I burst into tears again.

"What is it?" he asked.

". . . I. . . I'm. . ." I couldn't get the word out. I'd actually be speaking the whole thing into existence. ". . . I'm pregnant."

The last time I'd watched the color drain so dramatically from someone's face was when I was telling Sirius and Lupin I was dating Draco.

"You. . . You're. . . You're serious?" he asked.

"That would be a horrible thing to lie about," I said. Draco sat down on the floor with his back against the wall. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head. "No. . . This is all very. . . Shocking. I mean. . ." He groaned. "I have to tell my mum and. . . Sirius and Harry are going to kill me and. . . What will _he _say when he finds out?"

I knew exactly who "he" was. Voldemort.

I sat down next to Draco.

"What are we going to do?" Draco asked.

"I'm not sure yet. . . Madame Pomfrey says I'm nearly nine weeks along. So I was pregnant at Christmas being lectured about not getting pregnant and I didn't even know it," I said. "This is rubbish."

". . . I can tell my mother on Sunday. She's coming to have a conference about my grades with Dumbledore and Snape," Draco said. "She can't really kill me in front of them."

"I don't know what I'm going to say to Sirius or Lupin or even Tonks. . . Or Dumbledore for that matter," I said.

Draco took a deep breath. "Nothing to do but to just do it."

"I guess I'll tell Lupin on Sunday too. I haven't got the heart to tell Sirius and Tonks in a letter though," I said. I pushed my hair out of my face.

"Did you tell anyone else?" he asked.

"Ron was there when I found out," I said. "And Emily probably knows too. Technically, I guess, they both knew before I did."

I climbed to my feet. "I'm going to go and tell Dumbledore."

"I'll go with you," Draco said jumping to his feet.

"No, no, you don't have to," I said. "It's kind of you to want to come with me but. . . I'd rather tell him alone. And as for Harry and Hermione, I'd rather they not know until after Sirius knows. He's always the last to know and I don't want him to be the last to know _this_. He'll be angry enough as it is."

Draco nodded and kissed my cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," I said. "I'll see you at dinner."

**Kassia POV**

Draco walked back into the room looking like someone kicked his krup.

Pansy groaned. "She didn't break up with you again did she?"

"No," Draco hissed at her.

"I'm happy to finally see that it would finally irritate you though," Kristen said.

"What is it, mate?" Blaise asked.

"She fed up with you being a deatheater?" I asked.

"She has been from day one," Draco said collapsing onto his bed.

"This must be serious if he's not getting on your case for throwing that in his face," Pansy said.

"Are you alright, Draco?" Crabbe asked.

"Aside from the obvious, I've never done anything particularly horrible deserving of punishment have I?" Draco asked.

"Don't think so," Kristen said.

"What are you going on about?" I asked.

Draco sat up and looked over to Pansy. "If you say _anything_ I will cut your tongue out. Don't even talk about it amongst yourselves unless I say so."

Blaise and I exchanged glances.

"What's the problem?" Blaise asked.

Draco covered his hands with his face and mumbled something.

"What?" I asked.

He flopped backward onto his bed and brought his hands down from his face.

"I said. . . Hannah is pregnant," Draco said.

We all gasped.

"No way. Really?" Kristen asked.

"Yes, really," Draco said.

"Now, excuse me expressing my concern on this issue but, while I found the whole idea of you marrying the girl the dark lord wants to kill nutty, how exactly are you planning on having a baby with her?" Pansy asked.

"I've known for five minutes. I haven't exactly thought that far ahead," Draco said.

"Maybe you should've before you decided to put your beef in her taco," Pansy said.

"Pansy, stop talking or I'm going to kill you!" Draco said.

"How is Hannah doing?" I asked.

"Worse than I am probably," he said.

"And how are you?" Blaise asked.

"I think I may be on the brink of a psychotic melt down," he said.

"What are you going to tell your mom?" Kristen asked.

"Well I'm going to tell her on Sunday while she's in the middle of getting on my case for failing," Draco said. "That should be fun."

"Look, I don't mean to bring up the tender subject that you just scolded Pansy for but, Draco, you are dating one of the three people on the whole of the planet that Voldemort wants to kill and you happen to be a death eater," I said.

"What of it?" Draco asked.

"You have been saying since you got back together with Hannah that if you went through with whatever you were planning that you would have to break it off with Hannah," I said. "Isn't that true? You did say this?"

Draco groaned. "I hate my life."

"You wanted out of this. Now you have an actual reason that you need to. You need to find a way out of this now if you really love Hannah and actually care about the well being your baby," I said.

"I think my life might be easier if I pitched myself off the astronomy tower at this point," Draco said.

"Probably," Goyle said.

"Thank you for your unwavering support," Draco said.

"Look, I know this going to be rough-," Blaise started.

"Understatement," Draco said.

"All the same, we're going to be here for you. All of us," Blaise said looking over to Pansy.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll do whatever," Pansy said.


	43. Something Is Very Wrong

_[A/N: Yes, my Sexy Goats, her eggo is preggo. Your freak out is hilarious. *laugh manically*]_

_[A/N II: Okay, so I guess after getting messaged about this, and literally ONLY this by almost everyone, I should probably say something about it. I know that boys are not allowed in the girls' dorms. I know. I changed it because A) This fic is AU and I can do that kind of thing and because B) my main character is a girl and it's easier for people to visit in her room than it is for her to always be in Harry's room ('casue who wants their sister in their room all the time anyway). I thought it went without saying because I usually ALWAYS say if I made a mistake (Remember when I was Number 13 Grimmauld Place instead of 12? That was embarrassing) when you point it out. So, if I don't address it usually, it's on purpose. We cool now? Awesome-sauce. Thanks guys!]_

_[A/N III: And I'm not taking a dig at anyone. If you've told me that boys weren't allowed in the girls' dorms I always let it go. ALWAYS because you almost always preceded it with "I love your story, but…" and I'm not going to go ape shit on you for trying to help me fix a mistake (which I'm sure you all know is encouraged). I love all you guys. You don't troll. You're not rude. Your comments make me laugh and I'm so happy to have readers like you since I know a lot of readers out there can be pretty harsh. Thanks for everything you do for me and keep on correcting me. And I promise from now on to try to point out stuff I change.]_

_[A/N IV: This chapter is for Nicole who is hopefully having fun in Canada. She'd been waiting anxiously for the last chapter. This is also for Kaitlin who, even though she also knew what would happen, still gasped in surprise when Hannah discovered she was pregnant.]_

I'd been standing outside of Dumbledore's for near five minutes, trying to think of how to tell him.

Sure I was worried about how Sirius, Tonks, and Lupin would handle it, but this was Dumbledore. This was the man who raised me. He had a higher opinion of me than anyone else. No matter how many times I screwed up he always expected me to end up doing the right thing even though logic would tell anyone else that I wasn't going to.

The others would be angry, but, as horrible as it would be for them to think that way, they would've half expected this to happen anyway.

Dumbledore was not like the others.

His door opened and I peered inside. He was sitting at his desk.

"Why are you loitering in my doorway?" he asked not looking up from his work.

"I wanted to talk to you, but I didn't know exactly what to say," I said stepping inside. I closed the door behind me.

"Well just tell me," he said. "Can't be that difficult."

"Everything's difficult with me. You know that," I said sitting down across from him.

". . . Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Something is very wrong," I said. "I'm kind of a horrible person. I mean you raised me ever since my parents were murdered and how do I repay you? I ignore every important little thing you tell me to do. I make you angry. I don't listen. I'm ungrateful. I do these stupid things and you always have to clean up my mess. I mean, geez, I don't see how or why you put up with me because I'm so stupid."

"Hannah, what's the matter?" Dumbledore asked.

Tears were streaming down my face and it was all I could take to speak without losing my voice.

". . . I'm pregnant," I said.

The worst thing about Dumbledore was that you could never properly tell what he was thinking by his expression.

I looked down to my feet. "You're disappointed aren't you?"

"More than I can put into words," he said.

_*Ugh! Why is he so passive aggressive all of the time?*_

"You know, it never occurred to any of us here that you and Draco would end up together. We assumed that you'd spend your seven years together causing trouble for us in other ways, but here we sit, and I can't help but wonder how it came to this," he said.

"I've been asking myself the same thing all afternoon and the only logical conclusion I can come up with is that I'm an idiot and that I'm irresponsible. I have no sense outside of books and I can't be trusted," I said.

Dumbledore shook his head. "While I am disappointed, I have to point out that you are not the only one who has made this mistake, Hannah. Many other before you have been in this exact same spot."

"Not with a dark wizard chasing after them, I bet. And I'd venture a guess none of them fancied death eaters either," I said.

"The circumstances surrounding your situation are a bit. . ."

"Horrid," I said.

"Yes, but, think for a moment, you have faced far worse than creating a new life prematurely," he said.

"It's not the fact that I am pregnant that's horrifying. It's what's going to happen afterward. Can I even take care of a baby? Is Draco going to even be around or is he actually going to be a death eater? What about the ALTAP? Will I be able to finish? How is Harry going to take this news? What about Tonks, Lupin and Sirius?"

"Those are all things you should've thought about _before_ you-."

"I know," I said. "It's just. . . Now that I'm here in this position. . . What am I supposed to do?"

"Whatever you think is right."

888

Sunday morning I was walking to Hogsmeade alone to meet Lupin. I wasn't looking forward to telling him but the sooner I got this out of the way, the sooner it would be over with.

"Hannah!"

I stopped and looked back to see Harry dashing up to me.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked.

"Nothing's up, as usual, but something is definitely up with you," Harry said. "You've been kind of out of it this past week. I mean at first it was weird and all with the sleeping and stuff but now you're like a zombie. And you're not the only one being weird. Draco and Ron hardly speak to me at all and every time Hermione tried to press them for information they shut her out which leads me to believe that you guys are-."

"Keeping a tremendous secret from you. We are," I said.

"Whoa," Harry said. "I wasn't actually expecting the truth this time round."

"It's crazy what's going on," I admitted. "It's bigger than anything you want to imagine, so big in fact that important authority figures in my life know before I can tell you."

"And how does this involve Draco and Ron?" Harry asked.

"Well, Ron knew before anyone else knew, but it doesn't really involve him so much," I said. "Just let it go for the day. Enjoy your date with Ginny and don't worry about us. I'll tell you after we get back from Hogsmeade. 10 o'clock in my old room, alright?"

"Okay, have fun with your 'date'," Harry said pointing out Lupin.

"I will do my best," I said.

I made my way over to Lupin doing my best to look cheerful instead of terrified.

"Hey, there," he said. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Thank you. You too," I said.

"Oh, I got you this," Lupin said handing me a rose.

"Thanks," I said.

". . . Are you alright? You're awful quiet," he said.

"I just have a lot to tell you about today," I said.

"School that exciting?" he asked.

". . . Something like that," I said.

"Well did you want to go to the Three Broomsticks-."

"No," I said. "How about Madame Puddifoots?"

"Whatever you want," he said.

We went into the teashop where fortunately there weren't any of my classmates for once.

"So, what's going on?" he asked after we were served. "You seem a bit off."

"I am off," I said. "I'm really off."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I've been going a little crazy at school, what with the ALTAP and I'd been really exhausted and moody and all over the place," I said.

"Well it's almost over. You'll be fine," he said.

"Yeah, but. . . Then Ron came to talk to me. He's my best friend and he knows me better than pretty much everyone else and Emily sees me every day she always senses when something's off with any of us," I said.

"And they're helping you through the ALTAP?" Lupin asked.

"Yes, but. . . It's not quite that simple," I said. "It's not just the ALTAP that's wearing me out. . ."

"What is it?" he asked.

I felt my eyes immediately glaze over with tears.

"Well. . . You know how you're always telling me _not_ to do things and I do them anyway and I end in a lot of trouble?" I asked.

". . . What did you do?" he asked.

"First I want you to remember how much you love me and how embarrassing it would be to make a scene in here," I said.

"Hannah. . ." Lupin started.

"I. . . I'm. . ." This was almost worse than telling Dumbledore. "I'm pregnant."

". . . You're joking?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I'm due September 20th."

"Hannah. . . I can't believe this," he said.

I nodded. "Yeah. . . Yeah you can. Part of you isn't at all surprised."

He sighed. "I just. . . I don't know. . . Where is Draco?"

". . . Uh. . ." I started. "At a parent teacher conference because he's on academic probation. . . Also telling his mom about me."

"Academic probation? What is he failing?" Lupin asked.

"Uh. . . Not Astronomy but. . . Everything else," I said.

"How is he failing everything but astronomy?" Lupin asked.

"There is the possibility that he could be working on a 'project' for 'some guy' instead of going to class except for astronomy which we had together," I said. Lupin pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I know, it sounds really bad, me being pregnant and my fiancé sounding more and more like a skeezer with every word I say but. . . Never mind. There's no saving myself from this."

"How could you let this happen?" Lupin asked.

"You make it sound like I went out of my way to make this happen," I said. "Look, I know I screwed up huge, but I'm going to need your help if you don't want me to destroy my life any further."

Lupin sighed. "You always make things so complicated."

"Yeah, Dumbledore kind of told me the same thing," I said.

"What did your brother say?" Lupin asked.

I scoffed. "Haven't told him yet, but he's starting to notice that Ron, Draco, and I haven't really spoken to him in a few days so I'm obviously going to tell him soon."

"And how do you plan on telling-?"

"Sirius? Well, I talked it over with Dumbledore and he agrees it's not something you write in a letter. And since I'm not going to see Sirius until next month we thought it might be a bit more practical for you to tell him and everyone else for me," I said.

"You want _me_ to tell irrational Sirius that you have managed to do the one thing he asked you not to? The one thing above all others he wanted not to happen?" Lupin asked.

"Yep," I said.

"You're joking?" Lupin asked.

"Nope," I said.

"And why should I?" Lupin asked. "You don't do anything I ask you, hence you sitting here all pregnant and what not, and you want me to do this huge favor you, why?"

"Because you love you me like a daughter and I love you like a father. And all you have to do is tell Sirius, my crazy and over protective Godfather who takes his authority over me way too seriously what happened because that's what good parents do. Even though their kids make mistake they lend a hand helping them pick up the shattered pieces of their lives afterward," I said.

". . . Did you forget who Sirius is?" Lupin asked.

I groaned. "Please, Lupin? We've been through so much together. Please? I'll tell Tonks myself. She's coming by the school tonight. All you have to do is tell Sirius. Please?"

Lupin took a deep breath. "You owe me big time."

"Thank you! I love you," I said. I shook my head. "But. . . I am sorry that I've managed to screw up so horribly. If it makes you feel better I can still finish the ALTAP, though my plans of teaching will be put on hold for a while."

"I just bet they will," Lupin said. "You've got a lot to take care of now."

"Yeah. Hopefully, I'll have things more figured out by the time I visit home next month," I said.

Lupin nodded. "Are you okay?"

"Better now that it's not so much of a secret," I said. "Though I do dread telling Harry. . . Really not looking forward to that."

"Tell you what, I'll tell Harry and you can tell Sirius," Lupin said.

"You make a poor comedian, Lupin," I said. ". . . I think this may destroy the friendship that Draco and Harry have. Harry going to infuriated and Draco's going to think he's being unreasonable and that'll be that. It'll be just like before. And I can't imagine Sirius will ever trust me again."

Lupin shook his head. "Oh, he'll be angry, but Sirius was where you are once upon a time."

"But he has this horrible knack for making me feel miserable whenever I screw up," I said.

"Sirius always had a rough time with his parents. They shut him out whenever he made a mistake or did something they didn't like. As much as he tries to fight it, he's still a Black still has some of their less desirable qualities and I'm sorry you get the brunt of that because you two have all the wrong things in common," Lupin said. "But he loves you and I can't really say that his family loved him which is where the differences come in. When Veronica got pregnant they kicked him out and that was the end of it. He'd never do to you what his family did to him."

I nodded. Lupin was right. I just had to get past Sirius being angry for a while and slowly we'd develop some kind of normalcy with each other again, like we always do.


	44. In Which Draco's Life Sucks

_[A/N: You guys twisted my arm. I was going to save this chapter for OotP Experience BUT since you all REALLY wanna see, I'll give you Sirius' reaction here. Lucky I love you guys]_

**Tonks POV**

I was at Hogwarts, doing my usual school patrol while the students were off at Hogsmeade. I was going to pop by Dumbledore's office and let him know I was here when I spotted Narcissa Malfoy laying into Draco outside his office.

"She's always been a whore! She always will be a whore! I can't believe you intend to sully our family by marrying that mudblood filth!" she shouted. "How could you be so stupid? So careless?"

"I've apologized, mum, that's really all I can do," Draco replied. "She'll be back at 10 if you want to talk to her then. Otherwise get off my case about it."

Narcissa stalked off leaving Draco there, red in the face looking twice as miserable as he usually would when she laid into Hannah.

I walked over to him.

"Wotcher, cuzzo," I said.

"Hey, Tonks," he said.

"What's got you feeling so gloomy? I figured by now you'd be used to tuning your mother out when she bad mouths your lady," I said.

"Yeah, it's just different today. Usually she _knows_ she's been evil, but today she feels she's justified even if I'm the only guy Hannah's ever been with which would definitely not make her a whore but whatever," Draco grumbled.

"What's eating you today? Why does she think she's justified?" I asked. Draco went from red to pale. "Whoa, dramatic change there. What's up?"

Draco shook his head. "Hannah should. . ."

"Look, if you intend on marrying Hannah, and I fully believe that you do, then you should start talking to me and stop waiting for Hannah to do it. Man up. Have some balls," I said.

"I think having balls is what got me into this mess," Draco replied, reclining back against the wall.

"What?" I asked. Draco took a deep breath and looked up at me guiltily. "What's wrong Draco?"

". . . Hannah's pregnant," he said.

I felt like my heart might stop in my chest. "What did you just say?"

"That I am a life ruiner. I got my 16-year-old fiancée pregnant. I am a life ruiner. I have screwed up everything for her. Do you think she's going to be teaching come September? I don't think so. Not anymore. She's due to have a baby that month," Draco said. He turned around to face the wall and slammed his head against the wall repeatedly.

I grabbed him and pulled him away from the wall.

"Stop," I said. "She's really pregnant?"

"Yes, hence my mother's screaming and my. . . banging my head against the wall," Draco said.

"It's not just your fault. It's equally Hannah's fault. It takes two to make a baby," I said. "And while this comes as a complete shock to me. . ."

"No it doesn't," Draco said.

"Yes it does," I said.

Draco shook his head. "Look, you're a great person and all that but the fact that you think Hannah and I are completely irresponsible and that you were mentally prepared for this news does not make you a bad person."

"None the less, don't go smashing your head into a wall. You're going to bring another person into the world in a few months and they don't need their dad being an idiot," Tonks said.

"But I'm already an idiot otherwise I wouldn't be 16 and having a kid," Draco said.

"Calm down," I said. "I'm being calm aren't I?"

"You're not having a baby. Of course you're calm," he said. "You don't have to worry about Hannah's psychotic godfather coming to murder you in your sleep. You don' have to worry about her brother roundhouse kicking you in the face. You don't have to worry about. . . You don't have anything to worry about."

"I have you guys to worry about," I said. "That's certainly enough all things considered. And Draco, you know if you need anything you can talk to me."

"Thanks. Clearly I can't talk to my mom," he said. "She said she'd throw me out except that she wouldn't get to impress her evil influence upon me anymore, which of course makes me want to leave anyway but I can't do that because she's my mum and I love her even if she is a sadistic psycho bitch."

". . . Okay," I said.

He took a deep breath. "I think you're the only person who hasn't yelled at me about this yet. . . Well, Hannah didn't either. There were a lot of tears going on there. . . But even my friends yelled at me. I do not look forward to being there when she tells Harry. I suggested she take his wand from him first but then she said he'd probably just break my nose anyway so it doesn't matter. It will be over quicker with a wand anyway. . . But you haven't scolded me. Thanks."

"I'll scold you later, don't worry," I said. "But I'm here for you and Hannah whatever you need."

888

I walked into Grimmauld Place where Lupin was sitting making a cup of tea.

"Hi," I said to him. "I stopped by the flat before I got here. Everything was gone. You finished packing up the whole place."

Remus and I had moved out of our crummy flat and into a house after our landlord had officially driven us mental.

"Yeah, well I had some free time after I talked to Hannah today," he said. "I needed the alone time to clear my head."

". . . So she told you then?" I asked.

"_And_ asked me to tell Sirius for her," Remus replied. "She told you?"

"No, Draco did. Te way he was telling me I was surprised he didn't cry," I said. "He's clearly going into some type of fear induced panic mode over being a death eater now that she's pregnant. He doesn't just have her to worry about now. Not to mention, his mother threatened to throw him out."

"Did she really?" Remus asked.

"Yeah. The whole reason she didn't is because, as Draco said, she wouldn't be able to impress her evil influence on him anymore which makes him want to leave of course but he wouldn't," I said.

"That'd be like giving Voldemort permission to kill his parents," he said.

"Exactly," I said with a sigh. "How did Hannah seem. I spoke to her before I left, but she was kind of rushed. She had to go tell Harry."

"She was as okay as she always is when handling less than happy news. Almost cried but didn't. She's planning something in her head," Lupin said. "Mostly I think she's worried about how Harry and Sirius will take the news."

"Wouldn't you be?" Tonks asked.

The doors to the kitchen swung open and in Sirius practically danced.

"Ah, if it isn't my best friend and cousin who despite their mutual and unrelenting feelings for each other will not get together," Sirius said. "But it looks like you're talking! Progress!"

"Are you drunk?" Remus asked.

"Not at all. I just spent the most beautiful day with the most beautiful girl in the universe and I didn't have one drink," he said.

"Good for you," I said.

"How was your date with Hannah?" Sirius asked.

Remus and I exchanged glances.

"About that, you should sit down," he said.

Sirius immediately stood stark still. "Is something wrong? Is she okay?" Remus shook his head. Sirius plopped down at the table. "What happened? Do I need to go and see her?"

"The last thing you need to do is go and see her especially in the state you'll be in after I tell you what happened," Remus said.

"She's not hurt or anything is she?" Sirius asked.

"No, no," Remus said. "It's nothing like that."

"Then what's wrong with her?" Sirius asked.

Veronica walked into the kitchen.

"Hey there you guys. Was your day as wonderful as-."

"Something's wrong with Hannah," Sirius said.

"Oh, my God, what is it?" Veronica asked sitting down.

". . . She. . . She's pregnant," Remus said.

"Oh, my gosh! Are you serious?" Veronica asked.

"Yep," Remus replied. "Serious."

We all turned to Sirius who for the moment was just thinking quietly to himself. Then he looked back at all of us.

"How. . . How. . . How can she be pregnant?" Sirius asked anger starting to build up in his voice. "How could she be pregnant? I told her-."

"We _all_ told her, Sirius. Sometimes shit just happens," I said.

"No, no, no, no, no. _Shit_ does not just happen, Tonks. This does not just happen," Sirius said. "It happens when you don't listen. It happened when we didn't listen and now it's happened to her! I told her! I told her!"

"Sweetheart calm down," Veronica pleaded.

"No! I will not calm down! Every time she goes and fucks up her life you all tell me to calm down! I am not going to calm down this time!" Sirius said.

"In her defense you _never _calm down until she's locked in her room in tears or crying to Draco and she's already doing both of those things considering her situation. If you don't actually calm down this time you're going to make it worse," I said.

"What can _I_ do to make this worse? _She_ has made this as bad as it can possibly be," Sirius said. He rose to his feet and headed to the door.

"Where are you going?" Remus asked.

"To Hogwarts!" he shouted.

"Don't do that. Sit down," Veronica said grabbing him. She walked him back over to his chair and sat him down. "Look, I remember being 16 and pregnant and telling my parents and watching them flip out much like you are now and watching your parents freak out. And do you remember what happened?" 

"What?" Sirius asked.

"I only talk to my parents on Christmas and you ran away or got kicked out or whatever," Veronica said. "For Merlin's sake, do _not_ put Hannah through that."

"I just. . . I need to talk to her," Sirius said getting to his feet.

"She's going through enough right now. She needs your support and it doesn't sound like she has it," Remus said.

"Yes, because I completely encourage _all_ of her bad decisions," Sirius said. "No she does _not_ have my support. She didn't have my support when she decided that she's going to marry that boy and she doesn't have my support now that she's gone and eternally ruined her life by getting pregnant. Clearly sitting around and waiting for her to actually learn to listen isn't helping. I am going to go talk some sense into her."

"She's already pregnant. What else could she possibly do?" I asked.

"It's Hannah. She'll _find_ something," Sirius said.

"Look, we know how awful this is but you're not going to make things any better by going there," Veronica said. "She'll be here in a few weeks. She'll have calmed down by then and you'll have calmed down by then. Talk to her when you're actually being rational."

Sirius broke away from Veronica and stomped upstairs to his room, slamming the door loudly.

"That could've gone better," Remus said.

"Could've gone worse actually," I pointed out.

Veronica shook her head.

"I really hope he calms down before she gets here. Even if that's a month from now it'll be hard," Veronica said.

"I hope Hannah gains some common sense," I said.

Bill walked into the kitchen looking around cautiously.

"So, two interesting things have happened in the past thirty seconds and for some reason I can't help but think they're related," Bill said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Well, first of all I hear all this shouting in here and then Sirius stomps upstairs in a fit. _Then_ I see Draco Malfoy's name randomly singe it's way off of the Black family tree," Bill said.

"No way, you're kidding?" Veronica asked.

Bill nodded. "So, what's happened?"

I took a deep breath. "Your favorite is pregnant?"

Bill gasped. "No, not little Hannah! I mean, I guess we all always kinda knew her and Malfoy were busy gettin' busy, but I always though they were bright enough to use protection."

"I didn't really press him for detail, but Draco swears they did every single time," I said.

"Well at least they tried," Veronica said. "Sirius thinks he's so fucking brilliant. I got knocked up because he refused to use them."

"He's pissed then?" Bill asked.

"Infuriated. It was all we could do to keep him from going up to the school," Remus said.

"And why do you suppose Malfoy's been knocked off his family tree?" Bill asked.

"When I talked to him earlier he said his mum was threatening to kick him out. Maybe she actually followed through on it."

888

**Hannah POV**

I opened the door my bedroom and found Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco all sitting inside already.

"Oh, hey, you're all here," I said. Draco was sitting with his back against the wall on the floor.

"He's not saying anything," Hermione said motioning to Draco. "Neither is Ron. What's going on?"

"You're not dying are you, Hannah?" Harry asked.

"No," I said. I sat down next to Draco on the floor and took hold of his hand. "Harry, Hermione, you know I love you guys don't you?"

"Of course," Harry said. "And we love you."

"Excellent. Remember that when I tell you this. . ." I said. I squeezed Draco's hand. "You guys. . . I'm. . . I'm pregnant."

Hermione gasped in horror and Harry's face drained of color.

Hermione got up from my bed and walked over to me. Then she threw her arms around me and hugged me.

"Oh, Hannah! How didn't I know? I can't believe this!" Hermione said. "Actually. . . I can, but still. I am here for you. And you too Draco!"

"You knew, Ron?" Harry said turning to Ron. "You knew this whole time?"

"Wait, Harry," I said breaking away from Hermione. "If you were Ron, would you tell you?"

Harry looked away from Ron and over to Draco. "This is all _your _fault."

"If you're going to hex me or curse me or break my nose something just make it quick," Draco said.

Harry shook his head. "I can't believe that you're actually pregnant. It's like my nightmares have manifested themselves into flesh."

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Well, to be honest I feel like this ugly, black, slimy monster is going to jump out of my chest and kick me in the face. . . And as soon as you turn your back I'm probably going to punch Draco in the stomach. . . Other than that I'm fine," he said.

Suddenly there was banging on my door leading to Dumbledore's office.

"Hannah Potter you come out here right now!"

". . . Is that. . . Narcissa?" Ron asked.

"I'll handle her," Draco said.

"No, I'll do it. If I've heard her call me a slut once, I've heard it a thousand times," I said. I walked over to the door and pulled it open. "Hello, Missus Malfoy. What brings you here so late this evening?"

"You! How dare you try to ruin my son's life! You whore!" she shouted.

I sighed. "I understand you're angry, but a lot of people are angry. Also, I think you may be forgetting that it takes _two_ people make a baby and that your son was just as involved in ruining his life as I was."

"Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?" she asked.

"The girl you called a whore not a moment ago," I said.

"You can go ruining your own life but do not drag him into this!" she shouted at me.

"I didn't drag him into anything. He is perfectly capable of making bad decisions all on his own," I retorted.

"You are a little mudblood slut and that's all you'll ever be," Narcissa said.

"Even if all of that _were_ true, I have your son's virginity and I hope that drives you crazy," I said.

Then Narcissa reached into her robes and quickly pulled her wand out, pointing it in my face.

"Don't draw your wand on her," Draco said pulling me away from her. "What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? What's the matter with you? How dare you let her speak to me that way? I am your mother," Narcissa said.

"I'm not saying what she said to you was okay, because it wasn't," he said giving me a quick glance, "but she's still my fiancée and whether you like it or not she is having my baby and if you want her to stop beings so rude to you then it might help if you showed her some kind of respect."

"She does not deserve my respect and she certainly doesn't deserve my son _or_ his child," Narcissa said.

"Why can't you understand that I love her?" Draco asked.

"Why can't _you_ understand that I love you?" Narcissa asked. "Until you can understand that, until you are done with this manipulative, hussy and her bastard child you are not welcome in my home!"

Before Draco could even get another word in, Narcissa had stomped her way across the room to Dumbledore's fire place and flooed away.

Draco didn't say anything. He didn't even move.

I reached up and placed my hand on his shoulder but he shrugged me away and made for the trap door. He climbed down the stairs and I followed after him.

"Draco, wait," I said when we reached the corridor.

"What?" he asked.

I grabbed a hold of his hand and stopped him.

"Look at me, please," I said. He turned around to face me. "I'm so, so, so sorry. I didn't mean for-."

"You didn't do anything wrong. It's not your fault that my mother isn't your biggest fan," Draco said.

"Draco she kicked you out. She kicked you out because you're with me," I said.

"I know what she did and I know why she did it. You don't need to worry about it," he said.

"She's your mother, Draco. And I may hate her and she may hate me but she loves you and you love her. Don't ruin that because of me," I said. "I'm not worth it."

"Then what do you suggest I do then, Hannah? Break up with you like she wants me to?" he asked.

"I didn't say that," I said.

"Then what are you trying to say?" he asked.

"I don't know. . ." I said.

"This'll all get sorted out. Don't worry," Draco said. "I just need to go lie down. I'll see you tomorrow."

"But, Draco," I started, before he could walk away.

"Yes?" he asked.

I smiled at him. "It's Valentine's Day."

He smiled at me. "I forgot. This just ended up feeling like the worst day in the history of foreverness."

"It's gotta be better than that day you thought I was dead or the day I broke up with you," I said.

"Worse than the day you broke up with me and better than the day I thought you were dead," he said. He kissed my cheek.


	45. Pillow Talk

_[A/N: Wow, I can't believe how many of you are sympathizing with Narcissa and hoping she has a change of heart! I'm so surprised and also touched by how kind hearted you guys are! Anyway, the idea for this chapter just randomly popped into my head. I hope you like it.]_

**Veronica POV**

On a regular day, Sirius was an uneasy sleeper. He tossed and turned. He snored. He kicked. He was generally unpleasant to share a bed with, but somehow I managed to anyway.

On this particular night, however, he didn't toss and turn or snore or kick, which led me to one possible conclusion.

"You're still awake aren't you?" I asked.

"How can I sleep on a night like this?" he asked. "It's like everything I say to that girl goes in one ear and out the other."

"That tends to happen when you're 16," I said.

"Harry listens," Sirius said.

"No, Harry's probably just a better liar than Hannah," I said.

Sirius scoffed. He was as incredulous as ever.

"You have every right to be upset," I told him, "but you cannot flip out and go crazy on her like you usually do. You _will_ make things worse."

"This can't possibly get any worse," Sirius said.

"Yes it definitely can," I said. "For instance, did you know that Draco Malfoy's name managed to burn itself off the Black family tree which means his mother probably wants _nothing_ to do with him or Hannah or that baby?"

"And what has that got to do with me?" he asked.

"He's marrying Hannah. He has everything to do with you," I said. "Besides, do you remember what happened after you got tossed out of your mother's house after I got pregnant?"

"The amount of familial harassment I suffered decreased significantly?" he said.

"No. . . My family didn't want to take care of me and the baby and you had no means whatsoever to support us so we gave Lydia up," I said. "I'm not saying I regret that decision because she grew up to be better than I could have done on my own. But Hannah won't want that."

"And why not if it's the right thing to do?" Sirius asked.

"We all make a good makeshift family for her, but you and I both know she wishes Lily and James were here for her and she'll want to be there for her own child the way her parents never got to be," I said.

"But we-."

"What was right for us might not be the right thing for her, especially if it doesn't have to be and if it's not what she wants," I said. "All she'll need is your love and support."

"I love Hannah. There is no question about that. I love that girl so much it obviously drives me nuts. What she does not have is my support. I told her a thousand times that I did not support her decision to engage in the act of making a baby for this very reason, but here we are anyway," Sirius said. "The only thing I can do now is hope she's scared her brother into abstinence."

"Sirius, you're not being fair to Hannah," I said. "I'm sure she knows what a mess she's caused. I'm sure she's expecting to come here and have you bite her head off, but could you do her a favor and not-."

"Do her a favor? I asked her to do me a favor once upon a time. It was simple really. Do. Not. Get. Pregnant. I told her if she did I would be pissed. She's pregnant. I'm pissed off. That's all there really is to it," he said.

"So you're just going to not help her correct her mistake?" I asked.

"Clearly she thinks she's grown up enough to make decisions on her own and expect everything to turn out all hunky dory," Sirius said.

"You can't bail on her when things get tough. That's not how parenting works. And you have to keep yourself from thinking that you can just ignore her because she isn't your child," I said. "She needs you."

"If she needed me she'd listen to me," Sirius said. "And do you know what's really the icing on this shitty cake? That she's with that Malfoy boy? How could you toss your life away over him?"

"She loves him. They love each other," I sad.

"He's a Malfoy. He's a death eater," Sirius said.

"And you'd rather her be with a boy who's unfaithful? One that cheats on her every time she turns her back? Who'll shag any girl willing to take her knickers off for him? Someone like you when you were 16?" I asked.

Sirius groaned. "It's not the same."

"It is. What girl takes back a boy who cheated on her numerous times? What girl dates a boy who's a death eater?" I asked. "It doesn't make sense but your heart tells you they can change so you get on with them anyway even if your family hates it and your friends think you're an idiot."

"But it is stupid. You were an idiot for being with me when I was a teenager. I was awful," Sirius said.

"And if I hadn't believed that you would be different do you think I would be lying here next to you right now? If I had done the logical I probably would've up and left you when I was 16. And I would've found some other guy and when you went to Azkaban I would've written you off, gotten married and started a family with someone else. And when people would ask me how I knew you I would tell them you were just some guy I hooked up at Hogwarts. Sure we had a baby together but who knows how many other illegitimate children he has the way he got around," I said. "And when they proved you were innocent it would've been nice to see and we would have a nice, platonic friendship like you have with Dana and every night I would go home and sleep in my bed with someone else and you would be alone.

"But I'm glad everyday that you've been back that I took a chance on you because I love you. And our lives were hard when we were kids because we were together and my family hated us and your family wasn't even in the picture and no one supported us. The girl whose parents are dead, the girl daughter of our best friends, does not need to go through what we went through," I said.

Sirius sighed. "I just don't know. I can't see through all this blinding rage I have."

"Well maybe you should try to otherwise, I fear Hannah's not going to put up with you anymore," I said.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"If you're not going to support Hannah, then there are plenty of people willing to," I said. "And I don't know about you, I would get pretty fed up with someone like you shouting at me all the time."

888

**Tonks POV**

TAP! TAP! TAP!

I rolled over in my bed and looked at the clock. It was nearly four in the morning.

I looked over to the window and saw a large eagle owl sitting in the window, a letter in it's mouth.

I groaned as I climbed out of bed. Who would be sending me letter's this late—or did this qualify as early?

I had no idea.

I opened the window and took the letter. It was from Draco.

As I opened the letter the owl stood there, staring at me. I looked up at it.

"Shoo, I'll write him back when the sun is up," I said. The owl turned and flew out. I shook my head as someone knocked on my door.

I groaned. "'While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "Tis some visitor" I muttered, "Tapping at my chamber door—only this and nothing more."'"

"What?" Remus asked peaking his head in.

"It's Poe," I said. "The Raven? It was a really famous poem."

"I've heard it, but why would you quote it just now?" he asked.

"It seemed appropriate," I said. "I got a letter from Draco just now."

"What about?" he asked.

"It's says, 'Tonks, earlier when we talked today you said I could come to you for anything. Well, what it is is that earlier this evening my mother came up to Hogwarts for the soul purpose of shouting at Hannah. As I'm sure you're aware, Hannah isn't the kind of person who takes too kindly to being shouted at. Anyway, they got into a row and my mother called Hannah a slut and said that even if that were true she still had my virginity and that she hoped it drove my mother crazy at which point my mother pulled her wand out on Hannah.' What? Is she crazy?"

"Always has been," Remus said.

"Wow. . . 'I stepped in and told my mother she was out of line and that even though Hannah was wrong for saying that to her, she probably wouldn't have acted with such hostility if my mum showed her a little respect now and again. This must've made my mother officially turn into a lunatic because it ended with her kicking me out and leaving the school. Be that as it may, I'm kind of without a place to stay. I'd have written to Sirius and asked him to stay at Grimmauld but I suspect I'm at the very top of his shit list.' Kid's right," I said. I looked up at Remus. "What do you think?"

"About what?" Remus asked.

"Draco coming to stay with us until his mother tones down the crazy?" I asked.

Remus shrugged. "If you think it's a good idea, though you should really check to see what's going on with Hannah first?"

"Why? Hannah stays here at Grimmauld," I said.

"For now," Remus said. "Until Sirius flips out on her again and again and again. She can only take so much before she'll want out of here."

"Then she could come stay with us too," I said.

"Where? In the same room?" Remus asked. "Isn't that why they're in this mess in the first place?"

"It's not like she can get pregnant _again_," I said.

"That's not funny," he said.

I groaned. "She'd stay with me in my room. It's not a big deal. Besides, if they're having a baby together it probably makes sense for them to be under the same roof and you know as well I do that if not with us or Sirius they'd be with Narcissa and God forbid she have a hand in raising their kid."

Remus sighed. "I don't really have a choice in this do I?"

"Not really. I only asked because you're my roommate and it's the nice thing to do," I said. "Draco's my cousin and he's actually a really sweet kid despite some of his less than intelligent decisions. I feel a moral obligation to take him. And if things with Hannah should escalate out of control then you know we have to take her in too—unless you want to send her to live with the Durselys."

Remus sighed. "Alright, but I'm telling you, this could end really badly."

"Awesome," I said setting aside the letter. "In the meanwhile, what did you need anyway?"

"What?" he asked.

"It's nearly four in the morning. Usually I'm sleeping around now, just wondering why you came 'rapping at my chamber door'," I said.

Remus chuckled. "I was walking past and heard you were awake so I wanted to make sure everything was alright."

"Oh," I said. "Well I'm alright. You can go back to bed or stalking the hallways or whatever it is you do with your insomnia."

"Right then," he said.

"Oh, but before you go," I remembered, "I figured since you'd finish unpacking the house while I was at work tomorrow that we could like, have a house warming party dinner or something. And we'd have Sirius and Veronica and Dana and Arthur and Molly and whoever come over. And, apparently, we live right across the street from Hermione's parents so I thought it'd interesting to have them over too."

"Oh. . ." he said.

"Oh," I said, disappointed. "You made plans already then?"

"Well, I ran into Janessa today in Hogsmeade, she was just passing through to talk to Emily because apparently she's doing her floral arrangement or whatever, but we were going to meet and catch up somewhere tomorrow," he said. "But I can give her a rain check if you want."

"No, don't worry. We can do it some other time," I replied. "Don't want to ruin your plans."

"If you really want to-."

"Stop," I said.

". . . Stop what?" he asked.

I chuckled. "You keep doing this. . . This weird thing where whenever I ask you to do something you don't want to do if you've already made plans or whatever, you kind of drop everything or do whatever if you sense I'm disappointed."

"Do I?" he asked.

I nodded. "Sirius said you do it because you're subconsciously trying to make up for not wanting to be with me despite how you feel about me."

"Oh. . ." Remus said.

I flashed him an encouraging smile. "So we'll do it some other time."

Remus nodded. "_Or_, I could have Janessa come over. That sounds like a fair compromise."

I nodded. "Sounds great."

888

**Hannah POV**

I laid in the common room on the couch in front of the fire. Harry sat on the floor with me. We were alone.

"I can't believe I'm going to be an uncle," he said.

"I can't either," I said. "I can't believe you're taking this so well."

"Well, I wasn't at first, but then Narcissa showed up and decided Draco's got worse problems to deal with than I do for once," he said.

"Thank you for not flipping out on him, or me," I said.

"You're making me go soft," he said

"I appreciate it," I said.

"But still, I don't trust him," Harry said. "And it's got nothing to do with the fact that he knocked you up."

"Then what is it?" I asked.

He sighed. "It's just that, that night when I heard him talking to Snape. . . I'm certain they're both in cahoots with Voldemort. Especially Draco. Snape may be trying to stop Draco from doing whatever he's doing but Draco. . . It doesn't feel right. I'm scared for you."

"But what if. . . What if. . ." I started.

"What?" he asked turning around to me. "What are you getting at?"

"What if Draco was only a death eater because Voldemort threatened to hurt someone if he weren't?" I asked.

Harry stood up from the floor and stared down at me. I sat up and looked up at him.

"You're not saying that. . . He _is_ one?" he asked.

I looked away from Harry and stared down to my feet. Harry plopped down beside me.

"You are knowingly dating a man who is working for Voldemort?" Harry asked. I nodded. "Please tell me this is a joke, because I can handle the baby but not the death eater."

I shook my head. "Voldemort said he'd kill his parents if he refused. And I told Dumbledore and the whole of the Order knows. . . Which is why Sirius doesn't trust him. But Dumbledore trusts him and Draco doesn't want to do this."

". . . Then what's he been up to all year?" Harry asked.

"Alas he will not tell me for fear it would ruin us," I said.

". . . Do you really trust him?" he asked. I nodded. Harry sighed. "If he doesn't find a way out of this and he hurts you again. . . I won't be forgiving him. . . Not even for you."


	46. Hannah and Sirius Throwdown

_[A/N: I am a failure. I thought I had this up already. My bad.]_

I was glad there was a Quidditch match to keep my brain things other than all the nonsense that was going on in my life.

The baby. Draco being a death eater. Harry knowing about Draco being a death eater. Draco getting kicked out of his house and moving in with Tonks and Lupin. Even my work on the ALTAP was getting to be more strenuous than usual.

I was happy to be sitting in the stands with Luna today, waiting to announce the Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor game.

"So, why'd you want to announce Quidditch?" I asked as we waited for the match to start.

"I thought it might be fun," she said with a smile. "Besides, you look like you could use the company."

"Thanks," I said. "I've missed seeing you outside of a classroom setting."

"You too," she said.

"Alright girls, get on with it," McGonagall said.

"Oh!" Luna said picking up the microphone. There was a lot of feedback. She moved it down. "Sorry. I'm Lovely Luna Lovegood."

"And I'm Pretty Hannah Potter," I said.

And that's when it happened, the first of what I was sure would be a series of rude chants I would endure for the rest of the school year.

"Prego Potter! Prego Potter!"

"First of all, that's not even a clever chant, and secondly, it's not really smart of you to make fun of someone who can give you detention. Just sayin'," Luna said.

Slowly but surely the chanting died down.

"Today it's Hufflepuff's first game against Gryffindor," Luna said.

"And due to extra-curricular suspension our star chaser, Ginny Weasley, will be unable to play today and will be replaced by Seamus Finnigan," I said.

"So who do you think will win Hannah?" Luna asked.

"Er, Gryffindor," I said obviously.

"I don't know to be honest, then again I don't know much about Quidditch," Luna said

"Then why are you announcing?" I asked.

"Because I call 'em as I see 'em," she said.

Madame Hooch released the quaffle and the match began.

"Hufflepuff has control of the ball," I said.

"Zach passes it to . . . er, well I forgot his name. But he's passed it to some girl with blonde hair," Luna announced.

Many of the fans laughed at Luna's lack of knowledge of the Hufflepuff team.

"Dean's got it now. To Seamus, to Dean, to Seamus and goal!" I shouted.

"Ten points for Gryffindor," Luna said.

"I have to admit, our reserve team is pretty amazing," I said.

"Quite a nifty pick for Harry to let them play for Ginny and Katie," Luna said. "Oh! It looks like Hufflepuff has got the quaffle back."

"Zacharias Smith is being quite the ball hog," I said.

"Compared to the seasons that some of the Gryffindors have played his skills are more or less mediocre. Ginny Weasley last year scored 70 points on average per game, making her the top scorer-not only in Gryffindor but in the school as well, which makes Zach's average score of only 20 or 30 points per game look measly and pathetic," Luna said.

"I thought you didn't know Quidditch?" I asked.

"Well, I'm best friends with Ginny. I know how much better she is than everyone else," Luna said. The crowd roared with laughter at the Hufflepuffs.

"Zach goes to score," I said.

Zach tossed the ball.

"And stopped by Ron Weasley!" Luna cheered.

"Tremble in fear at the broom of King Weasley," I said.

"All shall love him and obey," Luna added.

We both laughed as the chorus of Weasley is Our King began.

Our witty commentary persisted throughout the entire game until Gryffindor finally won, wiping the floor with Hufflepuff.

"And Gryffindor wins, proving once again that Weasley is not only Gryffindor King but king of the Quidditch field as well," I said.

Luna turned off the microphone.

"You two are the perfect replacements for Lee. Good job," McGonagall said.

"So what are you getting into now?" Luna asked.

I shrugged. "Studying. My exams are in two weeks. It's crunch time."

"Good luck," she said.

888

"You did good at your Quidditch match today, I heard," Draco said that evening while we sat in my room going over homework.

"You heard?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said scribbling down his transfiguration homework. "I wasn't there."

"Why not?" I asked.

"You know why," he said. "I thought you'd at least be happy I wasn't cutting class."

"Well you do still cut class," I said. "McGonagall said if you don't stop cutting classes you'll have to repeat sixth year."

"I'm not coming back next year anyway," he said.

"I thought you'd put that silly notion behind you?" I asked.

"Maybe I changed my mind," Draco said.

"So you're going to drop out and do what, exactly? Become a full time Death Eater?" I asked.

"I might," he said.

"So you actually want to do this then and I'm wasting my time in trying to prove you're not evil?" I asked.

Draco let out an exasperated sigh. "No. Just. . . sorry. I'm just going through some stuff right now. I didn't mean to upset you."

"You do that a lot these days," I said. "It'd be so easy for you to just stop all of this."

"You keep forgetting my parents," he said.

"Dumbledore could-"

"Believe it or not, Hannah, Dumbledore can't fix everything. He's not your own personal Jesus or something," Draco said.

"I didn't say he was. I was just saying that hiding and protecting people is Dumbledore's forte," I said.

"His forte is also to stop Voldemort and his followers, one of which I happen to be," Draco said.

"But not because you want to be," I said. "Dumbledore would understand."

"You can't know that for sure," Draco said.

"I do," I said. "Just trust me, please."

"We've had this conversation before, Hannah," Draco said.

"I know, and you're too stubborn too see I'm right," I said rolling my eyes.

"Or maybe I'm right. Did you ever think about that?" Draco asked.

"Never crossed my mind because you've done so much wrong as of late," I said.

"You can speculate all you like, but Dumbledore and your friends are not going to trust me," Draco said.

"They're your friends too. They'd do just as much for you as they would for anyone else. Harry would trust you," I said.

"I'm not stupid. He never has trusted me and he never will," Draco said. "He only puts up with me because we're together."

"You're wrong . . . because he does," I said.

Draco looked up at me, shocked.

"He does trust me? The only way he could trust me would be for him to actually know and for him to know you would've had to-"

"Tell him? I told him on Valentine's Day," I admitted.

"You told your brother?" Draco asked.

"He overheard you talking to Snape at Slughorn's party and he's been suspicious of you ever since," I said. "But he trusts you. The one person who hated you more than anyone else in the world trusts you. He believes in you. There's not as much hate for you going around as you've been led to believe."

"From what I've experienced," Draco began.

"I love you and I wouldn't do anything to put you into danger. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. I just want you to trust me," I said.

"I can trust you. . . I just need time," he said.

It wasn't a definite yes, but at least it was progress from the usual "I can't trust anybody."

"It's been rough since we got back to school, especially now with the baby and all. I can barely get to sleep some nights because my brain won't shut off," he said. "I'm so worried about you and the baby all the time now and I don't want to fuck this up and that's all I've been good at recently is fucking things up."

I kissed his forehead. "Everything will work out in the end. Don't worry."

888

"You're going to miss it!" Harry cried. The Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor Quidditch match was going to be March 11th and I was going to be home already for break after taking my NEWTs. "What will we do without your commentary?"

"You will play and you will win," I said.

"But it won't be okay!" Harry said. "And you're going to miss Ron's birthday party too! He's going to be legal, Hannah! And you're gonna miss it!"

"I know, and I feel super bad about it," I said.

Harry frowned. "I'm really proud of you, you know. I mean, despite being a future teenage mother you're really going places with your life. I just wish it didn't mean you had miss my Quidditch match! You haven't missed a Quidditch match ever."

"I know," I said. "But I'll be there in spirit."

Harry sighed. "So exams tomorrow?" I nodded. "Prepared?"

"For seventh year exams I'm probably over prepared. For my NEWTs I am definitely not prepared. I mean, I probably am but this is the biggest exam of my life," I said. "I'm freaking out."

"Everything will work out," he said. ". . . How's Malfoy doing?"

"Slowly but steadily losing his mind," I chuckled. "He appreciates that you kinda-sorta trust him."

"I 'kinda-sorta' have to don't I? You didn't give me much of a choice," Harry said.

"You'll keep an eye on him while I'm gone won't you? Make sure he goes to all of his classes," I said.

"I will, I will," Harry said. "Oh, and when Sirius inevitably flips out on you, try to stay calm."

I shrugged. "I dunno what he's thinking. He hasn't written to me at all, but Tonks and Lupin keep sending me friendly reminders about how much _they_ love me and how crazy Sirius is."

"I'll assume that's their code for 'Sirius is taking it worse than we expected'," Harry said.

888

After successfully passing my classes, I was back at Grimmauld, ready to prepare for my NEWTs on Monday.

"Your room is positively filled to the brim with baby stuff. After Molly heard and got over the initial shock, she went a bit crazy," Tonks said as we walked into Grimmauld Friday evening.

"That sounds like Mrs. Weasley," I chuckled as we walked into the kitchen.

Sirius was sitting at the table and immediately just stared when he saw me.

"Hey, I'm going to take these up to your room," Tonks said. She grabbed my bags and scurried out of the kitchen.

Now it was time to figure out just how pissed off Sirius was.

". . . You never wrote," I said.

"I didn't know what to say," he said. "I'm still not sure I have anything to say to you."

"I know," I said. "I screwed up and I'm sorry. I did the one thing you asked me not to do and there's nothing I can do about it. I just-."

"You just what?" he asked suddenly. "You just need my help now? You want me to forget about everything you did and just go on with life as usual?"

"I know you're angry, but-."

"This isn't okay. Life cannot go on as usual like it has every other time you've decided to go to school and do whatever crossed your pretty little mind," he said as Tonks, Lupin, Veronica, and Dana made their way back into the kitchen.

"All I can do is say I'm sorry," I said hanging my head down. "It's not as if I can go back and change what I did or how it turned out."

"No you can't," Sirius said.

"So what do you want me to do? You're not going to change anything by yelling at me," I said.

"I think you should both calm down," Veronica said, sensing that Sirius' temper was about to escalate dramatically.

"No, I will not calm down. She needs to hear this," Sirius said. "None of us raised you to be like this. No one. You were supposed to do better than the rest of us. You were supposed to do better than me."

This was like trying to have a conversation with a howler.

"And that Malfoy boy-."

"What's going on between me and you has _nothing_ to do with Draco," I said.

"No, Hannah, because at the top of the list of bad decisions you're making, is Draco Malfoy," Sirius said.

"No he is not," I said. "Draco-."

"Is a death eater," Sirius said. "Regardless of what he told you or what you think the bottom line is that he works for Voldemort who is trying to kill you and your brother. He is making zero effort to _stop_ being a death eater. Do you see how this is going to end?"

"It's not-."

"He's going to hurt you and he's going to leave you and he's going to work for Voldemort," Sirius said.

And that's when something inside of my head snapped and everything just came flooding out.

"You know what, Sirius. . . I have had it with you! All you do all day long is tell me how many mistakes I'm making! What my mistakes are and I'm supposed to listen because you're Sirius and you're always right! You know better than everyone! Well newsflash—you don't and you aren't always right! Because to my knowledge, once upon a time, Sirius, you were nothing more than a skeevy, skirt chasing cad who, as it happens, also ended up having a kid when he was 16! Oh, and all this talk of you wanting me to do better than you what about _you_ doing better than _your_ parents, huh? Have ever tried listening to anything I say before your go off on some crazed, lunatic, blaming rampage? Did it ever hurt your feelings whenever your mother called you an idiot or said awful things about Veronica? Have you ever thought that maybe you're acting like your mother? Well, guess what? You are and I didn't even know the woman! But even though I made a mistake I still have feelings and you can't just go around saying whatever you want to me like I don't!

"So, fuck your house, fuck your couch, fuck the broom your rode in on and fuck you! I am leaving until you tone down the crazy and come to terms with the fact that I am not perfect, I never have been perfect and that I will never be perfect. Come to terms with the fact that I am pregnant and that it is Draco's baby and that like it or not he is always going to be a part of my life."

I turned and marched out of the kitchen. I waited a moment for someone to follow and groaned in frustration when no one did.

I stomped back into the kitchen. "I can't exactly leave unless I'm with someone who can apparate."


	47. That Boy Is Poison

_[A/N: Hello my Sexy Goats, hope life is treating you well.]_

After my explosion after being in Grimmauld for a staggering five minutes, I went to stay at Tonks and Lupin's house.

On Saturday morning, I was going through all of my clothes. For the next week I was staying in what was to be Draco's room. After that, if I decided Sirius was still being an idiot I'd move down into Tonks' room.

"What are you doing?" Lupin asked when he looked into the room and saw all the piles.

"Oh, getting rid of clothes," I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Well, I got up this morning and went to put on a pair of jeans and then I realized they were skinny jeans so I obviously couldn't fit them anymore so after I got dressed I went through and got rid of all my skinny jeans and then I went to find a shirt or a jumper to put on, but all of my jumpers were kind of snug, except for my Weasley sweaters which have always been too big. Anyway, so I got rid of all my old sweaters. And as for my t-shirts, some of them still fit alright but I'm starting to show so I'm assuming they'll only fit alright for another month or so and the ones that don't fit only fit because they ran kind of tight to begin with but now they don't fit over my boobs now because my boobs are freaking huge which Dana said was normal-."

"Dana?" Lupin asked.

"Oh, yeah. She's my designated baby healer," I said. "Of course, she said she's more of a magical O-B-G-Y-N—whatever the hell that is. Hermione described it to me as a muggle doctor who looks at vaginas or something and you'd think that a position like that would be filled with men because if I were a guy I'd totally want someone to pay me to look at vagina's all day, but then I realized vaginas get kind of gross and scary depending on who they belong to and really only girls would be brave enough to venture into that kind of territory."

". . . Right," he said.

"So, anyway, how are you this fine morning?" I asked.

"Spectacular. I was just heading off to Grimmauld and thought you might want to-."

"Come along and apologize to Sirius? No, I would not," I said.

"You were really out of line last night," he said.

"And Sirius is always out of line with me," I said.

"Are you aware that two wrongs don't make a right?" Lupin asked. "I mean, you compared him to his mother."

"Remember that time last year when he told me I dressed like a woman of ill repute? Or when he got mad for dating Draco _not_ lying about it? Or how about the multiple times he told me that Draco was using me?" I asked. "Completely out of line, especially the latter. But what really, really, grinds my gears is that after years of making so many of the same mistakes, he's always the last person to understand why I make them when I sometimes expect him to be the only one who understands what I've been through."

"Have you ever tried telling Sirius that?" Lupin asked.

"No. He doesn't listen to my desperate cries for attention. Why would he listen to me go on about him listening to me," I said. "I love Sirius, I really do, even though he makes me crazy and angry and stressed out, but, let's face it I'm crazy and angry and stressed enough on my own. And that wouldn't be healthy under normal circumstances."

Before Lupin could get another word out a woman appeared in the door.

"Hello, Remus," she said, looking at him scathingly.

"Hello," he replied.

The woman turned and looked at me suspiciously. "And who are you?"

"Give me your name and I shall give you mine," I said.

"Do you speak to all adults that way girl?" she asked.

"All of them except for Dumbledore," I said.

_*Because, secretly, I think he'd hex me if I did.*_

"Please don't harass her," Tonks said popping up into the room. "This is Hannah."

"Oh," the woman now giving a look I was used to getting from Umbridge, one that said "you are beneath me."

"Hannah, this is my mum, Andromeda," Tonks said.

"Oh!" I said. "You're Sirius' cousin."

"Right and you're the girl who takes after him apparently," she said.

"Mum!" Tonks scolded Andromeda.

"No, no, it's fine, Tonks, because clearly she just takes after her sisters," I said.

Andromeda leered at me. Her sister's were none other than Narcissa and Bellatrix. That's what was so great about the Black family—they all hated each other and comparing anyone of them to the other completely set them off, but made them shut up.

It was times like this that made me grateful that I loved my brother and that I would happily be compared to him.

Of course they could always bring up the Dursleys. . .

"So, when are you due?" Andromeda asked.

"September," I said.

"That'll put a damper on your last year of schooling now won't it?" Andromeda asked.

I sighed. "I'm sure that comment was meant to be hurtful but it may interest you to know that as of yesterday my schooling is done. All I have to do is take my NEWTs next week at ministry, hence why I'm not at Hogwarts."

"And how did you do that? A special program for unwed teenage mothers?" she asked.

I scoffed. "I've been at this since I started school actually. I'm in a special program that let me finish my studies in school earlier so I can get my special teaching license. People offer you things like that when you get perfect scores on your OWLs and are interested in being a teacher. I get to be an unwed teenage mother just because."

"And how do you think you'll fair being a mother?" Andromeda asked.

"Well you raised Tonks and she turned out to be a decent person so I'll be happy if someone like me can do half as good a job as you did," I said.

"Hey, mom! How about some tea?" Tonks ushering her mother downstairs.

"Geez, what a bitch," I said rolling my eyes. "Is she like that to everyone or just the people the people involved with her estranged family members?"

"Everyone," Lupin said. "I just keep reminding myself she's the nice one."

"That's a scary thought," I said. "I know we aren't biologically related, but I hope my kid turns out to be like you."

"Well, you never know. You and Sirius aren't related and you're exactly alike," Lupin said.

"Much to my chagrin," I said. There was a tapping on the window. I looked over and saw Hedwig there. "Oh, they miss me already."

I climbed to my feet and took the letter from her.

I opened it up and read over the hastily written letter from Harry which expressed something terrible.

"Oh, no!" I said.

"What happened?" Lupin asked.

"Ron's in the hospital! He's been poisoned! He almost died!" I said. "Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no! I have to go back to Hogwarts!"

"But Hannah-."

"My best friend almost died! I have to go and check on him!" I said.

Lupin sighed. "There's floo powder downstairs."

"Thank you! I'll be back," I said.

I dashed downstairs into the sitting room where Tonks was talking with her mother and went over to the fireplace.

"What are you doing?" Tonks asked as I grabbed a handful of floo powder.

"Hogwarts! Ron is in the hospital! He was poisoned! He almost died! I have to check on him!" I said. "I'll be back!"

I stepped into the fireplace and flooed to Hogwarts. I stepped out into McGonagall's deserted office and made a mad dash for the hospital wing.

When I got there I ran to doors prepared to fling them open and run up to Ron.

But instead I ran face first into the door and fell back over onto the ground, smacking my head on the stone floor.

I wasn't going to but I started to cry. My face hurt and my head hurt.

The door opened and there looking back at me were Draco, Harry, and Hermione.

"Hannah! Are you okay?" Draco asked, immediately coming to my side.

"I just wanted to see if Ron was okay, but the door wouldn't open," I cried.

"I was leaning on the door. I didn't know you were going to try to burst through it," he said. "Did you hurt anything besides your face?"

"My face? What's wrong my face?" I asked.

"Nothing, nothing, nothing," he said.

"I hit my head on the ground," I told him.

"Is your vision okay?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Do you feel nauseous?" he asked.

"I've spent the past two months being nauseous," I said.

"Are your ears ringing? Are you seeing stars or anything? Any lightheadedness?" Draco asked.

I groaned. "Draco, I don't have a concussion."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Draco, will stop worrying over her?" Hermione asked helping me sit up slowly. "Honestly, ever since she got pregnant all you're always making a fuss over nothing."

"She smacked her head on the ground. Excuse me for being concerned," Draco said. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, it just hurts," I said.

Draco helped me up to my feet and he walked me into the hospital wing.

"And what happened to you?" Madame asked.

"I ran into a door and as a result I fell down," I said.

"Honestly, if it's not your brother or your friend one of you is always in here," she said looking my face over. "Nothing's broken. . . You may have a slight concussion-."

"I told you," Draco said.

"Whatever," Hermione said.

"I can't have a concussion! I have to take NEWTs in two days!" I said.

"Oh, calm down. You'll be fine for your test," Madame Pomfrey said. She materialized two bags of ice. "Here. Put this one on your face and this one on your head. Take it easy and you'll be fine."

"What's wrong with my face?" I asked.

"You smacked it against the door," she said handing me a mirror. I looked into it and was horrified. It was black and blue all over and starting to swell.

"My face!" I shouted. "Oh, God! I look worse than Eloise Midgen."

"That's not very nice," Harry said.

"Neither is my face now is it?" I asked.

"Hannah, you look perfectly fine," Draco said.

"Don't lie to me! I look like an elephant kicked me in the face!" I said.

"Okay, okay you're right," he said.

"So you're saying I'm ugly then?" I asked.

"No!" Draco said.

"Just remember this hormonally imbalanced monster is your fault," Harry said.

"Thank you," Draco said rolling his eyes.

"So, what happened to Ron?" I asked putting the ice bag on my face while Draco held the other one on the back of my head.

"Well, so you remember when that Romilda Vane girl tried to give me those chocolates laced with love potion at Christmas?" Harry asked. I nodded. "Ron got a hold of them so obviously he was out of it so I walked him to Professor Slughorn and he got him all back to normal and then he gave us some mead and it turned out that it was poisoned. So, I gave him a beazor before he seized out and died and here we are."

"How did he get a hold of poisoned mead?" I asked.

"He was supposed to give it to someone as a gift," Draco said quietly.

"Oh. . ." I said.

"But he's going to be fine though," Harry said.

"Alright, all of you out," Madame Pomfrey said. "Mister Weasley and Miss Potter are going to be fine."

The four of us walked out of the hospital wing and started back to McGonagall's office so I could floo back.

"So, I'm staying at Tonks and Lupin's house," I said.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Well, he was being kind of crazy so I literally told him to go fuck himself and I left," I said.

"You didn't really tell him that did you?" Harry asked. I nodded.

"But he was so out of line," I said taking the icepack off my face. "I mean you should've heard what he said about Draco. Every time he brings Draco up I just want to smack him in the face."

"You didn't hit him did you?" Hermione asked.

"No. . . I did use a lot of profanity though," I said.

"Are you going to apologize?" Harry asked.

"Not until he does," I said. "Maybe you should talk to him. Let him tell you exactly what he told me. Oh, and then this morning, Tonks' mother comes by, Andromeda. She is a piece of work, that woman."

"You mean my aunt?" Draco asked.

"Yes. And she hates you. She thinks I'm a slut and she hates that I'm carrying the spawn of a Malfoy. And I have no idea how she gave birth to Tonks. Her dad must be the nicest man on the planet to put up with that," I said.

"You seem to be having a rough day," Hermione said.

"No worse than Ron I suppose," I replied.

"Which reminds me, I'd better go and cancel Quidditch practice and go let McLaggen that he's playing in the game next Saturday since Madame Pomfrey says he's not allowed," Harry said.

"I'll go with you. I'm sure these two are just dying to get to snogging without us watching," Hermione said. "I'll keep you updated on Ron."

Harry and Hermione headed toward Gryffindor tower while Draco walked me to McGonagall's office.

"I guess you're having a bad day too then, and I suspect it's got nothing to do with my bruised face," I said.

"I am the most awful person alive," Draco said. "It's my fault he's in there. It's my fault he's almost died. I knew that Slughorn had that mead and you told me to get rid of it but I just. . . After we got back from break I just forgot and now Ron is. . ."

"Draco, he's okay," I said.

"That doesn't make it any less my fault," he said. "If it hadn't been Ron it would've been someone else. And Harry wouldn't have been there to save them and that would make me a-."

"Stop it. Don't talk like that," I said. "You are not a killer. You didn't kill Ron. You didn't kill anyone."

"But what if I do?" he asked.

"But you won't," I said. "So it doesn't matter. Do not let this get to you."

Draco shook his head. "I just don't know."


	48. Because People Care Enough

_[A/N: And I'm back! I've missed you guys! I moved and was without internet, but now I'm here! I'm back and I've got a lot of updates!]_

"And you bruised your face how, again?" Tonks asked.

"Draco was leaning on the door and I slammed into it," I explained.

Tonks shook her head. "You are dangerous, Hannah Potter. How is Ron?"

"He'll be alright. Madame Pomfrey says he can't play Quidditch though. Harry is quite peeved about it," I said.

"And how is Draco?" Tonks asked.

I sighed. "He just kept going on about what an awful person he is and I couldn't find the right thing to say to him to make him think otherwise."

"Well, he accidentally almost killed your best friend. I'd feel pretty shitty too," Tonks said. "What is he doing fooling around poison anyway?"

_*Certainly not trying to murder anyone.*_

_-Certainly not.-_

"Didn't expect you to answer that," Tonks said with a sigh. "Anyway, you should know, Sirius is coming over later." I sighed. "I know, last night was not your best night and you are not feeling kindly towards. You don't have to go back to Grimmauld but you do need to talk to him."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he loves you and you love him and you need to work this out," she said. "Hannah, please."

"Whatever. When is he coming?" I asked.

"In about an hour," she said.

"Fantastic," I said.

"He was really upset yesterday," Tonks said.

"I hadn't noticed," I replied.

"I meant after you left, Hannah," she said.

"So he got a taste of his own medicine and he didn't like it? Shocking," I said.

"Please try to talk to him," she said.

I shrugged. "I suppose I will if it makes you happy."

"Thank you," she said. "How's your face?"

"You tell me. Is it less bruised looking?" I asked taking the ice pack off my face.

"Yes, definitely significantly less black and blue," Tonks assured me.

"Thanks," I replied. "I guess I'll just study until he gets here."

"Don't fall asleep," Tonks said.

"Yeah, I know the drill," I said. I'd had so many concussions and known so many people who had them that I was an expert on them by this point.

Tonks walked out of the room and I went to look over my books. I had to make sure I knew everything I had learned these past six years of school. If I screwed up this NEWT my life was officially going to be ruined.

After a while there was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I said. I was surprised when I saw that it was Sirius. He closed the door behind himself, but didn't move from the doorway. As an attempt to be respectful, I closed my text book and looked up at him. "Hi."

"Hi, Goober," he said. "What happened to you?"

"Ran into a door," I said.

He nodded. "Right, so last night. . . You said some pretty intense stuff. I'm certain you don't feel bad about any of it do you?"

"I never do," I replied.

"I don't blame you. Perhaps I was out of line with what I said to you last, or at least I could've gone about saying it better," he said.

"Hindsight is 20/20 isn't it?" I asked.

He took a deep breath, clearly getting frustrated with the fact that I wasn't saying much.

"Hannah, do you remember what you said to me last night, about me not being any better than my own mother?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"That more than anything hurt," he said. "But you know what? You're wrong."

"Am I?" I asked.

"Yes, you are," he said. "You see the difference between me and my mother is that she didn't care about me and she was perfectly content to let me run off and do whatever as long as she didn't have to be responsible for me."

"You don't have to be responsible for me if you don't want to," I said.

"I wish I could be, but I can't," he said.

"So you're just quitting on me then?" I asked.

"No. I'm doing what's best for you and I know that I am probably not what is best for you," he said. "We don't get along very well. We don't see eye to eye. We are too similar for either of us to back down. So, Remus is going to take over for me."

I sighed. "Fine, do whatever you think is best."

Sirius turned to open the door but he paused and turned back to me. "And about all those mistakes I made when I was your age."

"Yes?" I asked.

"I made them because I didn't have anyone who cared enough about me to tell me not to make them. You have all these people who love you and care about you which is why it is so heartbreaking that you went the route you did," Sirius said.

I looked away from Sirius and down to the floor. Now I felt like a jackass.

"You are incredibly important to me, Hannah. I want you to be happy, and you'll be happier with Remus than with me. You always got on better with him than you did with me," Sirius said. "And you may not be making decisions that I would've picked for you to make but I'm not just going to abandon you while you try to work things out. And despite how absolutely infuriated I am at you for this situation and at that _boy_, I'm going to be here for you, no matter what."

"Thanks," I said.

"And I hope he, I mean Draco, proves me wrong," he said. I nodded.

As he went to open the door, I knew what I had to do. I had to stop acting like an asshole. I had to grow up and act like the adult that I was going to be forced to be.

"Sirius," I started, as he opened the door.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"I know," he replied. He walked out and closed the door.

888

"It was such a freebie. I cannot believe they would ask me to make _that_ potion. I can make a smile potion with my eyes closed," I said. "But then after the bubble potion they made me make veritaserum and I could tell they thought I was gonna mess it up, but then, boom, I aced it. I mean, half way through it and I kind got nauseous from the smell, but I totally finished it and they loved it. . . Of course then I puked all over the floor which was kind of a mood killer, but I totally get brownies points for it."

It was Friday and I'd finished taking my NEWTs and was sitting in Tonks' office with her as I had done every day that week.

"So you think that you did well then?" Tonks asked.

"Yes. The NEWTs weren't as awful as I expected them to be, but they were long and exhausting," I said.

"Well they call it the 'Nastily Exhausting Wizard Test' for a reason dear," Tonks said.

"Don't they," I said shaking my head.

"Remus said that he's moving all of your things down into my room today," Tonks said as she flipped through some papers.

I sighed. "I don't see why I can't just share a room with Draco."

"Because you're pregnant and that being the case you can't be trusted to be alone in the same room together," she said.

"It's not like I can get pregnant again now can I?" I asked.

"Okay let me put is this, teenagers will not be shagging under my roof. I will not be an enabler," she said.

"Ooh, look at Tonks, being all parental and authoritative," I said.

"I know it's crazy isn't it?" she asked.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked her. She nodded. "Do you ever want to have kids some day?"

Tonks shrugged. "I never really thought about it. I suppose if I ever do that'll be fine but I don't think I'd be eternally heartbroken if I didn't. I'm not really the maternal sort anyway."

"I think you do a good job at being maternal," I said giving her a smile.

"Thank you, I guess," she said. She held up a letter and stared at it for a moment before setting it aside and moving on. "Now, I know you've been having a rough time of it these past few weeks but I feel I must ask again, what are your long term plans now that you're suddenly going to be a mother?"

"Well, after I get my license. . . I guess I'm just going to turn into a stay at home mom, or maybe if the ministry stops being made of failure I guess I could take Scrimgeour up on his offer of working in the Research and Development Office, though I find that to be unlikely," I said.

"So you're just going to sit around and let your amazing work go to waste?" Tonks asked.

"Well it's not as if I can teach with a baby now can I, Tonks? Besides, I'm too young to be a teacher. I'd be teaching with Snape looking over my shoulder the whole time," I said. Tonks sighed. "Oh, don't be like that. I know I could very easily find a babysitter or something so I could go teach and what not but, that's not fair. You don't sacrifice time with your kid so you can go off and pursue all your hopes and dreams. No. You put your life on hold so you can spend time with your kid so you can make sure they can reach their hopes and dreams like you never got to because it's not about you anymore. It's about them."

Tonks shook her head. "Where was all this responsibility four months ago?"

"Search me," I said with a shrug.

Tonks looked at one of her files and sighed. She got to her feet and stuck her head out of her cubicle.

"Oi! If I find another piece of 'evidence' for the Sirius Black case that was closed _months_ ago heads are gonna roll!" she shouted. Tonks sat back down and sighed. "Honestly, I am the youngest person in this office but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one with common fucking sense."

"I am so sorry," I replied.

"Yeah. . . Speaking of Sirius, how are things with you two?" Tonks asked.

"He apologized and I apologized but our relationship was totally broken into a million little pieces. It's almost as if we don't even know each other anymore," I said.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Tonks said.

"Serves us both right, I suppose. We were acting like idiots," I said.

"Can I ask what Sirius said that made you pull your head out of your ass and stop acting like a child?" Tonks asked.

I sighed. "He said he made all the mistakes that I made because no one cared about him enough to tell him not to make them and that because I have a hundred-thousand people who care about me so much and told me not to make those mistakes that it's especially awful what happened to me."

"Wow, I'm not even the one that's pregnant and I feel like I've done something wrong," Tonks said.

"Yeah, I have been acting like a world class jerk to him," I said. But he says that even though he's angry with me and even though he despises Draco that he will be there for me, which is nice."

"It's not only nice, but it's completely out of character for Sirius," Tonks said.

"I hope we can work things out," I said.

"I hope you can too," Tonks said.


	49. Baby Pictures

_[A/N: Hello my Cheeky Monkeys (yes, you're cheeky monkeys today; not sexy goats). Thanks for hanging in there with me while I had no internet! You're wonderful and I loved reading your reviews. You guys have totally made these past few internetless weeks worth it! Thank you!]_

_[A/N II: Extra brownie points if you know the line from the movie "The Lady Killers".]_

Being that I had nothing to do on Saturday, I decided to make my way back to Hogwarts for the weekend and return home with them for break on Sunday. Fred and Emily were getting married on Tuesday.

By the time I arrived on Saturday morning, I had missed all of my friends who were on their way to the Quidditch pitch for the last game before break—Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw.

I climbed into the stands and found Luna at the commentator box, shivering in the cold.

"Hannah!" she exclaimed when she saw me. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I could've sat at home and been bored all weekend or I could sit here in the cold with you and talk about Qudditch," I said. "Besides, I had to come otherwise you'd be announcing this match complete in a completely biased manner."

"Because it just happens to be my house versus yours?" she asked. I nodded. Luna smiled.

"And what's a weekend without 200 immature children taunting you for being pregnant?" I asked.

"Just doesn't sound worth living," Luna said.

"I'm glad you're here, Potter but if you two could please get on it," McGonagall said.

Luna turned on the microphone. "Hello, everyone! I'm Luna again here with Hannah Potter who is fresh back from taking her NEWTs and being more amazing than all of us."

"Oh, Luna you do go on," I said. "Today is about the long awaited Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw game."

"So what kind of change do we have in the Gryffindor roster today, Hannah?" Luna asked.

"Well King of Gryffindor, Ron Weasley, is in the hospital after ingesting a bit of bad mead, so taking his place as keeper is Cormac McLaggen. Ginny Weasley is off suspension and back on the team as well, and finally, after a long season away, we're glad to welcome back our lovely chaser Katie Bell who is out of Saint Mungo's and here to kick some Ravenvclaw a-"

McGonagall poked me with her wand and glared at me.

"Here to kick some Ravenclaw _buttocks_," I corrected myself.

Giggles rolled throughout the crowd.

"Be mature, Potter," McGonagall warned.

I smiled.

"And we've got star Seeker Cho Chang squaring off against Harry Potter and everyone is looking forward to it," Luna said.

"I certainly am," I said.

_*The fact that I still hold a grudge against her breaking my brother's heart has nothing to do with it. Though it will make this victory much sweeter.*_

_- . . . Why do you even continue to question why people call you a bitch? At this point it should be obvious.-_

_*Well, it is obvious. I'm telling myself aren't I?*_

_-Then you intentionally ignore your conscience?-_

_*Yes.*_

"Madame Hooch has the Quaffle, everyone's in position. . . . And they're off!" Luna announced.

"Ravenclaw has been hitting the pitch, apparently. They seem to be coming at Gryffindor with all they got, in an unusual turn of events getting the Quaffle to start," I said.

"And they go for a score early on and—Ooh! A butterfly!" Luna said.

I sighed. "Interception by Demelza."

"Amazing! It looks like McLaggen has left his post at the rings to instruct Coote and Peakes on their beating," Luna said.

I looked to see Cormac taking Jimmy's bat.

"Cormac! What the hell, man!" I shouted.

"Hannah!" McGonagall shouted.

"I'm sorry, but this is just blatant ignorance," I said.

"Looks like Harry's going into settle the matter before Ravenclaw can get the ball back," Luna said. Harry and McLaggen were going back and forth about the bat and Cormac was not giving in.

_*Harry, please call a time out.*_

I watched the crowd start pointing and looking toward Harry and Cormac. I glanced around and saw a Bludger flying right for Harry.

"Uh-oh," Luna said.

"Harry, look out!" I shouted suddenly.

But just as he turned -

"OOOOOH!" the crowd roared.

I groaned as Harry hit the ground, unconscious.

"Well, I guess it's not really a Quidditch season unless Harry Potter ends up in the hospital," I said. "Cormac McLaggen, I suggest you hide because after this match I, and the rest of Gryffindor, are coming to find you."

888

"Will he be well enough to go tomorrow, Madame Pomfrey?" Emily asked as Harry took some more pain medication.

"I wouldn't recommend him moving, but since you insist, then, don't overexert yourself for the next few days, Potter. Keep off your feet," Madame Pomfrey said.

"Yay," Emily smiled.

"And Mister Weasley will be free to go tomorrow as well," Madame Pomfrey said.

"Where's McLaggen so I can strangle him?" Harry asked.

"That would fall under the category of overexertion," Madame Pomfrey said smartly.

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"So, how were your NEWTs?" Harry asked.

"Awful. You're all going to die next year—except Hermione," I said.

Hermione smiled.

". . . Hmm, I think I'm hallucinating," Harry said staring at Emily.

"Why?" Emily asked.

"I dunno. . . Have you always been orange?" Harry asked.

"Not that I recall," she replied.

"Right. I cannot wait until I'm allowed to sleep," he replied lying down.

Draco walked into the hospital wing.

"Ah, Potter, I heard you got another concussion," Draco said.

"Just like Hannah said, it's not Quidditch unless I end up in the hospital," Harry said.

"Hannah?" Draco asked. He looked over at me and smiled. "Hello."

"Hello yourself," I said.

"When did you come back? _Why_ did you come back?" Draco asked.

"To see the Qudditch match and apparently watch my brother get a concussion," I said as Draco wrapped his arms around me.

"How were your NEWTs?" Draco asked.

"No worse than the OWLs. They're just horribly long and exhausting," I said. "I suggest you start studying now."

"Oh, speaking studying, Draco don't you have something to show Hannah?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, yeah," Draco said reaching into his pocket. "Term grades came out yesterday and you know because Hermione's been helping me study and because I haven't been allowed to have a life since we got back to school."

Draco pulled out a sheet of parchment with his grades marked all over it.

"O's in astronomy, potions and defense against the dark arts. E's in Transfiguration and History of Magic, and A's in herbology and divination," I said.

"No more academic probation," Draco said. "Go on, say I'm awesome."

"You're awesome," I said giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"What have you done while you haven't been taking NEWTs?" Emily asked.

"Lots of nothing," I said. "I've been trying to restrain the urge to kill Lupin because he will not let me eat anything remotely unhealthy, like, one donut is not going to turn my kid into a lard ass but whatever. And I've noticed my hormones are starting to balance themselves out more. Well. . . Except on the Ancient Runes test. . ."

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"Well. . . I started crying during the test and the proctor asked what was wrong and I said 'the script was written so beautifully that it moved me to tears.' That was embarrassing," I said. "Not half as embarrassing as puking on the floor after I finished my potion exams but still embarrassing."

"I'm sorry that happened," Draco said.

"Me too," I replied. "But yesterday I was just hanging around the auror office with Tonks like always after I finish my test and Dana and Veronica came and we decided to go out to eat at this place called The Waffle Hut and it was funny because there was some guy in there going off to his friends like 'he brought his _bitch_ to the Waffle Hut' but while we were eating Veronica asked if I'd had an ultrasound yet and I'm like what the hell is that-."

Hermione and Emily started squealing.

"Shut up and let me tell the story," I said. The girls quieted down. "Anyway, I didn't know what an ultrasound was but Dana being a healer and a baby and vagina doctor she did and she went I got one done."

"What is it?" Draco asked.

I reached into my pocket and fished out the picture and handed it to Draco.

"That, Draco, is a picture of our baby," I said.

He stared at it for a long moment, looked up at me and then back down at the picture. "Really?"

"Yep," I said. "Dana said that if I go back in a few weeks that we'll actually be able to tell if it's a boy or girl."

" . . . Wow," Draco said.

"I know," I said.

"Malfoy, is that a stunned silence I hear?" Harry asked.

Draco went to retort but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the picture to say anything.

"Wow, this is a big deal for you isn't it, Draco?" Emily asked.

"Well, I _know_ Hannah's pregnant but. . . I have actual tangible evidence here in my hand now," Draco said. "It's like. . . 'Hello, little person I can see you.'"

"Malfoy, I'm the one with the concussion and I'm certain you're not making any sense right now," Harry said. "I mean, what are you talking about Heffelumps for?"

Madame Pomfrey walked over to Harry and handed him a potion to drink. He sucked it down and no sooner did he hand the glass back to Madame Pomfrey had he fallen asleep.

888

Sunday evening we walked to Grimmauld Place where we would tomorrow depart to Fred and Emily's wedding destination.

Sirius hadn't spoken to Draco since before I'd gotten pregnant so I was slightly worried about what was going to happen when they saw each other again. I knew Sirius was still angry but he had apologized and he had said that he was going to be supportive. That gave me hope.

We walked into Grimmauld where Veronica was waiting at the door.

"Hey, Draco," she said. Draco stopped short of the stairs in surprise. "Sirius would like to talk to you before you go upstairs. He's in the kitchen."

"What for?" I asked.

"What do you think?" Veronica asked.

"It'll be fine," Draco said. He walked past Veronica into the kitchen. I looked up at her.

"Don't worry so much. Sirius actually going to be doing apologizing than yelling," she assured me. "I've made him do this thing where he goes over thing he says to me before he says it to one of you if yelling could possibly ensue."

"All the same, old habits die hard don't they," I said.

Veronica shrugged and I walked into the kitchen where Sirius was speaking very gently to Draco.

"Now don't make the mistake of thinking that just because we share a common experience that I'm not completely infuriate with you. As we speak I'm restraining the urge to hex you which I'm sure you know would be completely justified," Sirius said. "But for once, I'm not here to threaten you-."

"Mostly because he's not allowed to," Veronica said walking into the kitchen.

". . .Right," Sirius said. "I just need you to give me your guarantee that you're not going to leave her. That you're going to take care of her. Because if you're not. . . If you're going to do something stupid, like leave her, or worse, I'll have to hurt you."

An uncomfortable silence sat over us as we waited for Draco to answer. It was the elephant in the room, Draco being a death eater, and he was the only one who didn't know that everyone knew.

". . . You have my guarantee that I'm not going to leave Hannah or the baby," he answered finally.

"Good," Sirius said. "Oh, and I'm sorry to hear about what's happened between you and your mum."

Draco shook his head. "I've had that coming for ages anyway. She never really liked Hannah, but she especially didn't like her after my dad went to jail. Then she got pretty upset when I came here for Christmas and after me and Hannah got engaged."

"When she got pregnant I bet that was just the icing on the cake," Sirius said.

"Yep. And she snapped," Draco said. "She'll calm down eventually. If for no other reason she'll say something stupid like 'I don't want that filthy blood traitors raising my grandchild' and that'll be the end of that."

Sirius chuckled. "Sounds like your mum."


	50. The Weasley Boys Reunion

_[A/N: More free points! So, Tonks and Lydia are going to sing two songs together. What musical is it from?]_

"Manchester?" Hermione asked.

"Yep," Hermione replied.

"We're riding that thing all the way to Manchester?" I asked.

"Yep," Hermione replied.

We loading up a giant charter bus and riding it all the way from London to Manchester which was quite a distance to travel even by broom.

"Buses aren't so bad, Hannah," Hermione said.

"They are if you have to sit in one for four hours and you have to pee every five minutes," I said.

"Oh, you'll be fine," Hermione assured me.

It was cold, it was snowing, there were no signs of it stopping and I was going to be trapped inside of a bus with my family for four hours. I was beginning feel like my life was about to turn out like that movie Dreamcatcher.

For the moment, we were all gathered inside of Tonks and Lupin's house where the bus was sitting outside waiting for the rest of our party to show up so we could leave.

"Look who I found," George said walking in the front door.

Ginny and I both got to our feet as we saw Charlie enter.

"Charlie!" Ginny exclaimed hugging her brother.

"Ginny! What's up? Hear you're dating Harry Potter now," he said.

"Yep. He had an incident with a bludger so he's kind of out of it at the moment," Ginny said motioning to Harry who was sleeping on the couch.

"I will ride the blue pony for you Colonel Peacock," Harry mumbled in his sleep.

Ron and Draco sighed.

"Oh, sweet blackmail," Ron said.

"No, call it extortion. The 'ex' makes it sound cool," Draco said.

I shook my head in pity.

"Hannah, come here," Charlie said taking me into a hug. "So I have been hearing a lot of crazy things about you, Miss Potter. Like you're pregnant, you're engage to Draco Malfoy. You graduated. What is going on?"

"All of the above is true," I said.

Charlie shook his head. "Clearly I can never leave home again because when I do you all-."

"RIDE THE DRAGON! HUZZAH!" Harry shouted from the couch, startling everyone in the room into silence. He merely turned over and continued to sleep.

"What is wrong with him?" Sirius asked as Ron and Draco fell into a fit of hysterical laughter.

"Ginny, can you wake him up please," Tonks asked.

"Gladly," Ginny replied walking over to him. She shook him gently. "Harry. . ."

". . . Ron stop being a bitch. . ." Harry mumbled.

This time Draco and Ginny laughed while Ron leered at Harry.

Ron walked over and shook Harry waking him from his sleep. Harry reached out and punched Ron in the gut causing him to fall over onto the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you shaking someone who cracked their skull open? Would you like it if I took you outside, dropped a brick on your face and then shook you violently?" Harry asked.

"Whoa, mate, calm down," Draco said.

"Yeah. . . Sorry, Ron," Harry said.

"It's cool," Ron said in a loud whisper.

"Alright, off the floor," Tonks said.

"Oh!" Charlie said turning his attention to her. "Nymphadora Tonks, you just keep getting better looking don't you?"

Tonks rolled her eyes at him. "Hi, Charlie."

"Oh, you can't still be holding a grudge against me for what happened after what we graduated?" Charlie asked.

"You mean the whole 'I'm going to move to Romania and never write to you again' thing? No, absolutely not," Tonks said.

"To be honest I thought you were just gonna hook up with Bill behind my back," Charlie said.

"Well I didn't," Tonks said.

"That is not entirely true and you know it," Bill said. "You totally let me rebound. More than once."

"Hey! Shut up!" Ron shouted. "Jeez, did you forget there are other people here?"

"Yeah. She's like my mother. You can't talk about her like that in front of me," Harry said.

"I'll say it again," Bill said. He pointed to Tonks. "I. Hit. That."

"I'm embarrassed for you," Lupin said.

"Thanks," she replied.

"Sorry, I'm late," Lydia said walking inside the house. "I am crap at apparating."

"It's fine," Veronica said.

"Well, hello, hello," Charlie said. "Have we met before?"

"No," Lydia said.

"Well, I'm Charlie Weasley," he said.

"I'm Lydia Black," she introduced herself.

"Oh, yeah, Sirius and Veronica's daughter," he said.

"Correct," she said. Charlie went to say something but Lydia quickly turned and began speaking to Tonks.

"No, no, no, no, no," Emily said walking back into the house after she'd gone outside to talk on her phone. "Our reservation says we have to be there at 2:30. . . Well have you seen the roads? Maybe if you got off your ass at your desk and took a peek out the window you would see. I'm in London. I am not going to make there by 2:30. . . I dare you. Cancel my reservation and see how happy your superiors are going to be when you're giving me back 1,000 quid that could've been yours. . . No. No. I really dare you. I play for keeps. I PLAY FOR KEEPS. . . Thank you. I will be there when I get there."

Emily dropped her phone into her pocket.

"See Fred, that's how you get shit done," she said.

"I was wrong to doubt you my little fire cracker," Fred replied.

"You must be Emily then," Charlie said.

"Right. You must be Charlie. You're the only Weasley I haven't met," she said. "Sorry you had to see me like that. I'm already expecting the worst with this lot tagging along so I'm trying to make sure nothing else falls apart. Expect the worst, hope for the best."

"Good way to think," Charlie said. "Got yourself a good catch here."

"Yeah, I know," Fred said wrapping his arm around Emily.

"Do you know if Percy's coming?" Charlie asked. Everyone shushed him. "Whoa. What?"

"Don't even mention Percy while mum is in the vicinity unless you want to see some legit tears, dude," Bill said.

"Yeah, what's wrong with you," George said.

"So. . . That's a _no_ then," Charlie said.

"Well we sent him an invitation and he said no so. . . No," Fred said.

"Maybe he'll turn up for Bill's in August," Charlie said.

"Don't hold your breath," Ginny said. "I don't expect he'll show up anywhere until he's willing to apologize for telling off Ron, Harry, and Hannah."

"Nice," Charlie said. "But the rest of you are cool?"

888

Before long, we were on the bus and on our way up to Manchester.

"You can't just pick Ron and Hermione," Draco said.

"I totally can and totally did," I said "Who were you gonna pick?"

"Kassia and Blaise," Draco said.

I scoffed. "No, you see because I know this is a Gryffindor kid and a Gryffindor kid needs Gryffindor godparents. My godparents were in Gryffindor. My parents were in Gryffindor. I'm in Gryffindor. It works."

"So I just don't equal into the equation at all? What makes Gryffindor so great?" Draco asked.

"Hey, did you forget that everyone on this bus was in Gryffindor?" Ron asked.

"Not true. I'm representing Hufflepuff," Tonks said from her seat in front of me next to Lydia.

"Hufflepuff doesn't count," Sirius said.

"Your face doesn't count," Tonks replied,

"That's exactly something a Hufflepuff would say," he replied.

"And as a Slytherin I can't really stick up for you. Sorry," Draco said.

"Fuck all ya'lls couches," Tonks replied shrinking down into her seat.

"What if each of you chooses one God parent?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, a compromise," I said.

"Fine. You pick between Ron and Hermione and then I'll choose one based on their gender," Draco said.

"Fine," I said. "I already know who I'll want influencing my kid on my behalf."

"Who?" Draco asked.

"Ron of course," I said.

"What?" Hermione and Harry asked.

"I'm sorry but you're really picking Ron over me?" Hermione asked.

"I want to know why I wasn't even considered," Harry said.

"Hermione, you're too anal without Ron to balance you out, and Harry, you're my brother so you get to be uncle here," I said.

"I don't know. I think I'd rather have Hermione," Draco said.

"Nope. Ron's been my bestie since we were kids. You can't fight sandbox love," I said.

Tonks and Lydia giggled in front of us. They'd taken to listening to music and ignoring us.

"Anyway-."

"You think your life sucks?" Tonks asked suddenly.

"I think so," Lydia replied. It was then I realized they were singing a song.

"Your problems aren't so bad. I'm kind of pretty, and pretty damn smart," Tonks said.

"You are," Lydia sang back.

"Thanks! I like romantic things like music and art. And as you know I have a gigantic heart, so why, don't I have boyfriend? _Fuck!_ It sucks to be me!" Tonks sang.

"Did you write that all by yourself, Tonks?" Sirius asked.

Tonks stuck her tongue out at him and went back to listening with Lydia.

"Honestly, you can't think of a better way to make her feel uncomfortable?" Veronica asked.

Sirius scoffed. "I'm sure she can think of lots of ways to make me feel uncomfortable if she tried hard enough."

"Oh, I can," Tonks said.

"Then do it," Sirius teased.

"You're not allowed to be loud at the library. At an art museum or at play. But when you and your partner are doin' the nasty don't behave like you're at the ballet. Yes you can be as loud as the hell you want when you're making love. You can be as loud as the hell you want when you're making love," Tonks and Lydia sang. "You won't let the neighbors stop you from having fun. They'll have peace and quiet when you're good and done. Be as loud as the hell you want when you're making loooove."

"Fine. You win. Shut up," Sirius said. "What the hell are listening to anyway?"


	51. Draco's Future and Feeling On Your Booty

_[A/N: Yes! The answer was Avenue Q! Huzzah for all of you who knew that musical. Now, pop quiz! Who is the lead singer of Culture Club? Also, I love Pixie Lott and you should too. Also I think my new apartment is haunted. . . Spooky. . .]_

After an hour into the trip, Tonks and Lydia took their headphones out and the radio was turned on and the trip was quiet for a while except for someone singing along with the radio.

"I think I like Culture Club," I said as Culture Club's _Time (Clock of the Heart)_ started to play.

"I really love _this_ song," Tonks said dancing in her seat to the song.

"I know. You play it enough," Lupin said.

"Don't act like you hate it. It's totally grown on you," she replied.

"Sure, sure," he said dismissively.

"You know, you guys bicker an awful lot," Draco said.

"You do. Now, why is that?" Sirius asked.

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Because you touch yourself at night."

"I do not. I have someone else to do that for me," Sirius said.

"Ewe" rang out through the back of the bus.

"What are you 'ewing' at Hannah?" Sirius teased me.

"Just because I happen to be having a baby, doesn't mean I want to hear about what you and Veronica do behind closed doors," I said. "I had to _listen_ to it for the better part of the summer because _someone_ doesn't know how to use a silencing charm."

"And _someone_ doesn't know how to properly use birth control," Sirius said.

"Hey, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones," Lydia giggled. "I know how I got here."

"In time we could've been so much more, but time is precious I know! In time we could've been so much more, but time has nothing to show, because time won't give me time, and time makes lovers feel like they've got something real! But you and me we know we got nothiiiin but time! And you know won't give me time and time makes lovers feel like they got something. . . real. . ."

Tonks and Lupin were both singing the last chorus of the song together as it faded out like no one watching and then they realized what was going on.

"Right. . . That was embarrassing," Lupin said turning around in his seat.

I giggled.

"Hey you guys, leave Tonks alone," Harry said randomly from behind me. "She has been having a rough past couple of months and you guys aren't even sensitive enough to stop taking digs at her."

"Thanks, Harry," she said.

"And just so everybody knows, whenever I get some evidence implicating whoever here is making her upset, _Sirius_, I am going to kick you in the shins," Harry said.

"So you automatically assume it's me?" Sirius asked.

"Well, you are the on usually irritating her," Lupin said.

"I don't think you have very much room to talk, now do you Remus?" Tonks asked. "Who knows, you might just mess around and say something that will provoke Harry to kick you in the shins."

"I doubt that," he replied.

"I dunno, you've developed a nasty habit of sticking your foot in your mouth," she said.

Draco sighed. "Clearly Lupin is the cause of her distress."

"Is this true, Lupin? Am I gonna have to kick you in the shins?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry, he is," Tonks replied.

"Well, what'd he do? I have to have a justifiable reason to kick him in the shins," Harry replied.

"Yes, Tonks, tell us why Moony deserves a kick in the shins," Sirius said.

"You're going the right route for a swift kick in the ass, Sirius," Harry said.

"Hey, don't cuss at me," Sirius said.

"Hey, Harry," Ginny said. He looked over to her she snapped in front of his face and Harry instantly fell asleep.

"How. . . What. . ?" Sirius started.

"Don't ask questions. Just accept the answers," Ginny replied going back to reading her book. "He won't be a problem for at least another hour."

"Alrighty then," I said sitting back in my seat.

"Hey, Hannah," Draco asked after a few moments.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Do you think it's boy or a girl?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Dunno. You know it's never actually crossed my mind until just now."

"Really?" he asked. I nodded. "I think it's a girl."

"Do you think so?" I asked.

"Yep," he replied. "And I am going to spoil her rotten."

"Well what if it's a boy?" I asked.

"Then he'll play Quidditch," Draco said.

"What if he doesn't want to play Quidditch? What if he wants to be a code breaker like Bill or an auror?" I asked.

"That'd fine too. I just figure since I'm looking into astronomy he'd have to choose a career that won't be as emasculating as mine," Draco said.

"Astronomy?" I asked.

"Well it's the only thing I'm good at. It's the only thing I like. Why not if I like it and I'm good at it?" he asked.

"Well you like and are good at other things," I said.

"Yeah, but I can't exactly shag you for a living now can I?" he whispered to me. I giggled. "But seriously. I'm not passionate about anything the way you are. You've always known you wanted to teach potions and cure lycanthropy because, despite the fact that you can be annoying, you've always been a person who's wanted to do right by others and helping other people makes your more excited than a Viktor Krum fan girl at the Bulgarian Quidditch World Cup. But I'm not like that."

"Something must make you excited," I said.

"Maybe once upon a time I had a plan. I was going to work on the school board like my dad, make too much money and marry some pureblood Slytherin girl. But now the thought of any of that just seems wrong. I mean, here I am. I've been cut off from my family and the only reason I'm at Hogwarts this term now that my mother has decided to stop paying for school is out of Dumbledore's good graces. I'm engaged to a half-blood girl who is so quintessentially Gryffindor that's it painful and not an hour ago I was debating on whether Ronald Weasley or Hermione Granger would make good godparents. I live with a Hufflepuff. Everything in my life went so dramatically different than I had originally intended all because we decided to suddenly be all friendly during our third year and somehow that lead to me falling in love with you and when I thought I might lose you forever I knew I had to change and be a better person and now here I am. And even though I'm broke and you're pregnant and things are insane, I feel like the happiest guy on the planet. Right now the only thing that makes me excited, that I'm passionate about, is you."

"Way to go all Lifetimes movie on us, Draco," Lydia said.

"Lifetime movie?" Draco asked.

"Never mind. It's a muggle thing," she replied.

"But if I might interject, you may have a promising career as a motivational speaker," Sirius said.

"I don't care what you do with your life. I don't care how much money you make. I just care that you'll be with me," I said. Draco nodded.

"I think I can handle that," he said. He leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"OH MY GOD! I LOVE THIS SONG!" Sirius shouted as _Total Eclipse of the Heart_ came on.

"You ruined this song for me," Veronica said. "You and Lily."

"How?" I asked.

"When this song first came out, Lily and Sirius thought it was the best song ever and they played the shit out of it. They'd walk to class and sing it together. All the time," Lupin said.

"James almost broke up with Lily over it and temporarily stopped talking to Sirius," Veronica said.

"This is the most beautiful song ever written. I sang this with Lily at her wedding. That's how fantastic it is," Sirius said. "Sometimes it evens moves me to tears."

"I always cry when I hear _My Heart Will Go On_," I said.

"Who doesn't?" Veronica asked. "Also, _These Little Wonders_ by Rob Thomas makes me cry like a baby."

"_Breakaway_, Kelly Clarkson. Can't even think about that song without getting teary eyed," Lydia said. "What about you, Remus? What song tugs on your heart strings?"

"_All By Myself_," Lupin replied.

"Celine Dion? Really?" Sirius asked.

"No. As sung by Eric Carmen," Lupin said.

"Ah, that's better," Sirius said. "Tonks?"

"Lots of songs make me cry," she replied.

"Name a few," I said. "Like, top two?

Tonks thought for a moment. "_Have You Ever_ by Brandy and. . . _Hopelessly Devoted _by Olivia Newton-John. . . Oh! And _Another Sad Love Song._"

"Me too with that last one," Draco said. "And _Careless Whisper._ You can feel the heartbreak in that song."

"Too true, mate," Sirius said. "Especially with how I was in Hogwarts. I cheated on her _a lot_."

"A lot, a lot," Veronica reiterated, rolling her eyes. "Hopefully you're not as typical as the rest of the Blacks."

"By that you mean what?" he asked.

"That you like to get around," Veronica said.

"Uh, no," Draco said. "Can't say that I do."

"Yeah, Draco's only ever dated two other girls besides me," I said.

Draco cleared his throat. "Three actually."

"Three?" I asked. "Why do I only know about two?"

"Well there was Pansy, and then we went out, after we broke I went out with Astoria," Draco said.

"I know about those two. Who is the other girl?" I asked.

"No one important," Draco said.

"No shit she's not important. Otherwise you'd be engaged to her and she would be having your baby. Who the fuck is she?" I asked.

"Hannah, stop swearing," Sirius said.

"I will not," I said. "Who is she, Draco? Why bring it up at all if you weren't going to tell me. Who is she?"

Draco sighed. "Victoria."

I gasped, as did Ginny.

"No way!" Ginny said. "I love her!" I turned back and leered at Ginny. "I mean I hate her. She has stupid hair. . . That is so perfect."

"I cannot believe you!" I said shoving Draco. "How could you not tell me?"

"Who is Victoria?" Sirius asked.

I groaned. "Victoria Louise Lott. Better known as-."

"Oh my God! You used to date Pixie Lott!" Lydia squealed. "I love Pixie Lott. _Mama Do_ is like the best song ever."

"And _Jack_! I love that song," Tonks said.

"I cannot believe you! She was so nice to me all seven years she was at Hogwarts. She even invited me to her birthday party back in January. I sat in my room and cried myself to sleep listening. . . To _Cry Me Out_. . . After we broke up. . . And you were off snogging her," I cried.

"Baby, please don't cry," he said rubbing my back.

"Do you know how moot it is to tell a pregnant girl not to cry" Veronica laughed. "You're so silly, Draco."

888

"Alright everyone, listen up," Emily said when we arrived. "Now, I've just been inside, gotten all of your room keys and because I'm brilliant I already set up the sleeping arrangements. There's two to every room except for Veronica, Danielle, and Lydia who are all together if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Lydia said.

"Excellent," Emily said tossing them a set of keys. "Now we have Hannah and Hermione. Draco and Harry next door. Then Ginny you'll be with Kassia who's already here. There's George and Ron. Charlie and Bill. Fleur will be with Gabrielle and they're already here. Same goes for the Patil twins. Mister and Mrs. Weasley. Tonks and Dana. Sirius and Lupin and then we have Kingsley who'll get share a room with Snape who's already here and Kaitlin and Janessa are already here too. Cool beans everyone?"

Everyone agreed and then we made our way inside and up the fourth floor where all of our rooms were.

I plopped down on my bed when Hermione and I got into our room.

"This. Is. Comfy," I said. "I think I'll go to sleep right now."

"You're not going to unpack?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. That can wait until tomorrow," I said.

"Hannah, it's barely six o'clock. You can't sleep yet," Hermione said.

I laughed. "Clearly you underestimate my ability to sleep."

Kaitlin walked into our doorway and smiled.

"Sup, girls," she said.

"Tell Hannah to get her lazy ass up," Hermione said.

"Hannah, get your lazy ass up," Kaitlin said. "But seriously though Emily gave me a tentative schedule of everything—the wedding rehearsal is at seven, dinner at eight, and 'party' at nine."

I sighed. "I'll probably pass on that party."

"But why?" Hermione asked.

"Because the last thing I want to do is sit around and watch the rest of you drink," I said.

"Door! Not a closet!"

Hermione and I looked over to the door where the sound had come from and opened it.

"It's my sister!" Harry proclaimed. I chuckled. "Ours rooms are connected apparently."

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Significantly less loopy and my head barely hurts now," he said.

"Huh. . ." Kaitlin said from the door.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Ron and George are being weird," she said.

"What else is new?" Hermione asked.

"They're listening to something," Kaitlin said listening. "They're saying 'players wanna play, ballers wanna ball, rollers wanna roll.'"

"That is R. Kelly," Draco said stepping into the room "Definitely."

By now Ron and George had reached our door and, upon seeing Kaitlin and Hermione, decided to stop and engage in crooning the weirdest song that had ever been crooned.

"This is my song for real, no doubt. As the DJ's making me feel thugged out," George sang.

"He's got me feelin' thugged out," Ron sang along.

"As I walk you to the dance floor,"

"Walk you the floor."

"We begin to dance slow."

"We dance slow."

"Put your arms around me I'm feelin on yo booty."

"FEELIN' ON YO BOOTY! YES I AM!" Ron then pointed at Hermione and sang, with a serious look on his face "And I hope you like it girl."

The boys continued to sing as they walked down the hall.

Hermione looked over to me and Draco and nodded.

"Have fun with _that_ influencing your child," she said.


	52. Party Time

_[A/N:Sorry I've been dragging my ass posting this one. I ended up becoming addicted to Yu-Gi-Oh like I did when I was 13 so I spent the past week watching it along with Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series. Anyway, I'm from the Midwest (o-HI-o) and I call soft drinks "pop" but other people call it "soda" and other people call it "soda pop" and I heard that in some places they call it "coke". Out of curiosity, what do you call soft drinks?]_

"I can't believe I'm getting married tomorrow," Emily said. "It's totally surreal isn't it?"

"Totally," Parvati said. "This whole year has been pretty surreal if you ask me. I mean, you getting married is just the tip of the ice berg. Look around you, Ginny and Harry totally came out of left field."

"Not if you paid attention," Hermione said.

"And you know she doesn't," Kaitlin said.

"Thank you," Parvati said with a nod."And you, Miss Granger, are _still_ with Ron and neither of you has killed each other."

"That is shocking," Ginny said.

"And don't get me started on Hannah, here," Parvati said. I sighed. "Don't you go all sighing on me. For real, I wasn't very shocked when you got back together. And I was even less surprised when I deduced that you two were making the beast of two backs."

"How is that _less_ surprising?" I asked.

"I was surprised when you guys got engaged, because I half expected you guys to just go off and elope somewhere," Parvati explained.

"Well that could never happen. They're only 16 still," Hermione said. "They'd need parental consent and that would not happen."

"True. Missus Malfoy does hate you," Emily said.

"Didn't she kick Draco out?" Parvati asked. I nodded. "Bloody hell. Where's he staying at now?"

"With his cousin, Tonks," I said.

"Ah, you mean the one that lives with Professor Lupin? I've only been around them both today but they are _so_ into each other," Parvati said.

"How could you tell if Lupin likes Tonks if this is only the first time you've met her and you've only been around them both together for no more than a few hours?" Danielle asked.

"I just can tell," Parvati said.

"Sure, but you couldn't tell that me and Harry were totally into each other," Ginny said.

"I don't think there's anything there," Kassia said. Hermione nodded. "I mean, Tonks is Sirius' cousin but they're like brother and sister. And Lupin and Sirius are best friends. It would be weird for them."

"Ahem, Harry, Ron, and Ginny," Parvati said.

"Well just because it's plausible doesn't mean it's true," Ginny said dismissively.

"What do you think, Hannah?" Parvati asked me. "You and Lupin are really tight."

"And so are you and Tonks. Is there anything there?" Emily asked.

I shrugged. I wasn't getting in trouble for exposing that.

Just then, our door opened and Sirius leaned in.

"Hello, just checking in. Making sure things aren't getting too crazy. There are a bunch of minors here after all," he said.

"Things are just fine," Parvati said hopping to her feet. "I'm Parvati, one of the bridesmaids."

"Yes, I do recall seeing you at the rehearsal," Sirius said. "And I've heard a lot about you."

"No doubt, anyway, we were just having a little discussion about your BFF Lupin I deduced that he and your cousin are totally into each. I was wondering if you might be able to confirm if this were true or not," Parvati said.

"I don't understand why you're asking me for confirmation. Hannah could've told you that one," Sirius said.

Parvati gasped and turned around to me. "You knew and you didn't say anything?"

"Of course, but I didn't say anything because Tonks would hex my pants off I did," I said. "But now I can blame Sirius."

"You wish," he said backing out of the room.

Parvati came and sat back down with us. "Alright, explain. Now."

"Explain what? They're into each other. Isn't that the end of it?" I asked.

"Um, no. If they're so mad about each other why is it that they're not together?" Parvati asked.

I sighed. "Well, Lupin's a fair bit older than her."

Parvati scoffed. "Age ain't nothing but a number."

"And then there's the fact that he can't get a job being that he's a werewolf and all," I said.

"Hey, mo money, mo problems. Who needs it?" Parvati asked.

"And, uh, yeah he's a werewolf," I said. "Dangerous and all?"

"Isn't she an auror? Isn't danger, like her, job?" Parvati asked.

"Yes. It's not really her fault they're not together," I said. "Lupin is being kind of an idiot."

"Oh, is he?" Parvati asked. I nodded. "Well, I can fix that. I'm good at fixing that kind of thing."

"No, Parvati. Leave it alone. Please," Ginny said. "They're adults. They can sort it out themselves."

"_Or_ I could sort it out for them," Parvati said.

"No," Hermione said.

Parvati rolled her eyes. "Fine. Um. . . Kassia, we don't hear much about you. How are the dungeons?"

"Pretty dank," Kassia replied with a shrug.

"You know, I'm curious to know what Draco is like when he's not with Hannah," Danielle said.

Kassia shrugged. "He's on about her all of the time. I mean before he just to be pining over her, then he got back together with her and he was _so _happy, and now if he's not doing homework or studying he's got his face buried in a baby book. At least we see him more often, I mean now that he's not off shagging you all the time, Hannah."

"Oh, haha," I said rolling my eyes.

"So you can't do that anymore now that you're all pregnant?" Parvati asked.

"Uh, I totally could if I wanted," I said.

"If you wanted? So you don't?" Parvati asked.

"How about we not talk about what Hannah does or does not do with Draco," Kaitlin suggested.

"I agree," Ginny asked.

"Okay, Ginny, let's talk about you," Parvati said.

"No!" Emily said tossing her arms around Ginny. "She's going to be my little sister tomorrow. She's not supposed to talk about that kind of thing."

"Oh, if she's going to hang out with us, she has to talk with us," Parvati said.

"No. I veto this subject too. I've known since before she lost her first tooth. And she's dating my brother," I said.

Ginny nodded.

"You should all know by now that Parvati doesn't care," Hermione said sloshing around the cup of pop she had.

"Nope. So, Ginny, what's new with Harry Potter?" Parvati asked.

"Nothing I would like to share," Ginny replied.

"Really? Because I've made out with Harry Potter and I wanted to tell _everyone_ about it," Parvati said.

"You did. _All_ the time," Danielle said.

"Who was the first person you ever snogged, Gin?" Emily asked, changing the subject.

Ginny laughed. "This is gonna sound so funny, but, do you remember when we played truth or dare for the very first time?"

I gasped. "No! No way! Me?"

"Yep," Ginny said with a laugh.

"Did not see that coming," Kaitlin said shaking her head.

"I feel so honored," I said. "I hope I met your expectations."

"You did actually. I'm honored to have snogged you so many times," Ginny said.

"If she snogs anything like her brother it's no wonder Draco loves her," Parvati said.

"Actually," Ginny began.

"Do _not_ finish that thought," I said.

"Who'd you snog first, Hannah?" Hermione asked.

"Draco of course," I said.

"Oh, Quidditch World Cup, right?" Parvati asked.

I smiled. "Well. . . No. I'd actually snogged him once before then."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione asked.

"Because it was third year. None of you liked me except Draco," I said.

"What happened? Tell us," Emily said.

"I was just going over my new plan to get Hermione back as my friend and I'm not sure how, but he mentioned that I was pretty and I'd never really thought about it before so I was kind of stunned to be honest and he was surprised because no one had ever told me before and I was even more surprised because up until a few months before then he'd always hated me. . . And I wasn't thinking about it when it happened, I just. . . I just kissed him," I said.

"Bet you didn't think then that you'd be here did you?" Danielle asked.

I shook my head. "Nope not at all."

"Is your godfather single, Hannah?" Parvati asked.

"Parvati!" I hissed.

"What? He's hot," Parvati said.

"You have no shame," I said. "And he's very taken."

"_Very_ taken," Danielle chuckled. "You can't leave him and my aunt alone in the same room for too long."

"And they're _so_ loud," Kassia said. "It's disgusting."

888

I stepped out of Emily's room into the hall. I couldn't party all night like I used too and I was dead tired. So, I dipped out of the bachelorette party around 10:30.

As I walked down the hall to my room, I saw Tonks standing outside of her room, unlocking her door while Lupin talked to her.

". . . that perhaps you're being paranoid?" Lupin asked.

"I'm an auror. I have to have a healthy amount of paranoia. Keeps me on my toes. Constant vigilance and all," she said.

"Hello, guys," I said, announcing myself. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Tonks said opening her door. "Goodnight, Remus."

She walked into her room and slammed the door shut.

"I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but you have _got_ to stop pissing her off," I said.

"Thank you, Hannah. I couldn't have deduced that all on my own," Lupin said. "Why aren't you at the party anymore?"

"My kid wants me to sleep apparently. I thought it'd be pretty irresponsible for me to fall asleep in a room full of drunk girls," I said.

"Yes, very responsible of you," Lupin said. "I'm quite happy to see you actually learning from your mistakes."

"Me too," I said. "So, I want to give you some words of wisdom."

"Alright," he chuckled.

"Love is scary, especially when you're in love with someone whose life is crazy and unpredictable. Whether it is because a dark wizard likes to attack people you love or because your parents are death eaters or because you're a werewolf," I said

"What are you getting at?" he asked.

"If I weren't with Draco, which I was crazy for not being with him in the first place, the thing that would bother me the most would be that if something happened to him I wouldn't have gotten the chance to show him how I really felt. You can say you love someone a thousand times but if you don't show them it doesn't mean anything," I said. "If you take too long you could lose your chance. And you might think right now that that's what you want. For her to move on and be with someone else. . . But it's not really. And she will eventually move on. . . But only if you let her."

"Hannah-."

"No, listen to me, Lupin. People search and search their whole lives to find some special person who loves them despite everything that they think is wrong with themselves and they never find it. But you have and you're just throwing it away," I said.

"Where is all of this coming from?" Lupin asked.

"It doesn't matter, but it'd make you a whole lot less of an idiot if you listened to what I said and actually took it to heart," I said. Opened the door to my room and walked inside. "See you tomorrow."

"Okay. . ." he said.

I closed my door and laid back onto my bed.

I heard laughing coming from the boys room which I found odd, so instead of going to sleep, I sat up and knocked on their door.

A moment later it was opened by Draco.

"What are you doing back so early?" he asked.

"Tired," I said walking into their room. "I thought you were with Fred?"

"It turned into more a of a Weasley family reunion so we excused ourselves," Harry said.

"And what have you been up to since?" I asked.

"Introducing Draco to television," Harry replied.

"Have you ever watched CSI?" Draco asked. "It must be difficult being a muggle copper."

"What was Emily's party like?" Harry asked.

"Well. . . Parvati is now in love with Sirius instead of Lupin," I said.

"Not surprised," Harry said.

"Why is everything in this show covered in semen? Are muggles chronic masturbators or something?" Draco asked shaking his head at the TV.

"And since you're definitely going to hear it from Parvati's big mouth tomorrow, Tonks and Lupin are kind of, madly in love with each other," I said.

"What?" Harry asked. I nodded. "How do you know that?"

"I accidentally deduced it and there was no sense in them lying about it after I confronted them," I said. "It's been going on a long while actually. Since the start of the summer I believe."

"That would explain all of Sirius' teasing," Draco said, still staring at the TV. "Why are they not together?"

"Because Lupin thinks he's too old, too poor, and too dangerous," I said.

"Don't they know that age ain't nothin' but a number," Harry said.

"Tonks does," I said.

"And as far as being too poor and too dangerous he hasn't seen anything until he's met a 16-year-old death eater with no future," Draco said flipping the channels.

"Don't remind me," I said.

"So that's the reason she's been so not herself this whole time?" Harry asked. I nodded. "And I was sure it had something to do with Sirius. . . I have to tell you, I just don't know if I can kick Lupin in the shins. I'm afraid he might break."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," I said.

"You gotta know that you're bringing out the animal in me! Let's get physical-."

"Who sings that song?" Harry asked Draco as he broke out into song with the TV.

"Olivia Newton-John," he replied.

Harry nodded. "Let's keep it that way."


	53. Insanity

_[A/N: Wow, isn't it strange how something as simple as a soft drink can be called by so many different names? Amazing. Anywho, this chapter is dedicated to a reader who's getting hitched in December. Love you, Nicole!]_

"Mum, I think my makeup looks fine," Emily said. "I just hope I don't face plant when I'm walking down the aisle."

"You know I won't let you fall," Harry said walking into the room.

"How is my wonderful husband to be?" Emily asked.

"Pumped," Harry said. "It's like someone took a needle full of adrenaline and jabbed it into his neck."

"Sounds like my Fred," Emily said. "Have you seen how your sister looks in this dress?"

"Please stop. You've made me twirl for every person that's come in here," I said. "Today is about you."

"Yes it is, so do as I say and twirl damn it," Emily said.

I stood up and twirled for Harry.

"You're adorable with your little baby bump," he chuckled.

"Isn't it funny how the bow makes it really obvious," Emily said. "I don't understand why you're so cranky today of all days."

"Em, you know I love you and that I'm happy for you and Fred, but I started my day off by throwing up into a toilet and I've had the worst headache ever since," I said.

"Can't you take something for the headache?" Ginny asked.

"No. Dana says I'm not allowed," I said.

"You most certainly are allowed, however we do not have any medicine with us that you could take that could potentially harm your baby," Dana said continuing to fuss over Emily. "You will have your medicine soon enough. Promise."

"Emily your mother is Satan," I said. "When we're standing at the altar and you see me crying it will be because my head and my feet will be hurting."

"Hannah, you're ten times more entertaining now than you were before you got pregnant," Parvati said.

"We're going to tell your child this story," Hermione said.

"And that's why you're not a godparent and Ron is," I said.

"I'm sure he'd be laughing at you if he were here," Harry said.

"See my aforementioned statement in response to what you just said to me," I said.

The door opened again and Veronica stepped inside carrying a tiny vial.

"Thank goodness you're back. I couldn't take another moment of Hannah's whining," Dana said as Veronica dropped the potion in my lap. "For your headaches."

"Thank you," I said opening the vial and drinking it down.

"And it's time to get started if you're ready," Veronica said.

"Cue the music. I'm ready," Emily said. She kissed her mother on the cheek and then Veronica dragged Dana out of the room. Emily took a deep breath. "This is really it you guys."

888

"This was supposed to be a happy occasion," I said.

"It is. Just ignore them," Ginny said.

"How did they get invited anyway?" I asked.

"Emily is just way too nice. He asked if he was invited and Emily caved. When he sent the invitation back it, he checked plus one," Hermione said.

"And _that's _his plus one?" I asked.

We were at the reception now and had spotted two very unwelcomed guests. Cormac McLaggen and Marius Drake.

"I hate wedding crashers," Parvati said shaking her head. "You've told Draco and Harry-."

"To not touch them under pain of death until we leave? Yes," I said.

"I'm glad you added that 'until we leave' subtext," Hermione said.

"Agreed—if anyone deserves a swift kick in the ass and then some it's those two," Parvati said.

"You girls aren't still on about those two are you?" George asked, putting his arm around his little sister. "Ignore them. I have some fun news."

"What?" I asked.

"Well since my mother has asked me to be on my best behavior on this, the day of my brother's wedding, Fred and I decided that things were going to be pretty borrowing, especially with Hannah here on the straight and narrow for a while," George said. "So Fred and I asked Ron, Harry, and Draco to do us a favor."

"Oh, no," Hermione groaned.

"Exactly," George said with a smile. "Just don't let them get alcohol poisoning."

George stalked off. I shook my head.

"I'm going to get some punch," I said. "Maybe if I drink enough sugar I'll be so hyped up that I won't care about what they're doing."

"Unlikely," Parvati replied.

I walked over to the drink table and filled a glass to the top with bubbly, red punch.

"Ah, Hannah, it's been a while," a voice said.

I knew this voice. At one point in time it made me weak but now it made me nauseous.

"Don't I have a restraining order against you?" I asked.

"It expired last week," he said.

"Ah. Well in that case, Marius, hope you're enjoying yourself," I said not even turning around to him.

"What? Is that all? No witty comeback? No snarky comment?" he asked.

"I'm in a good mood, it's a happy occasion and I'm not going to spoil it on your account," I said.

"Where's your boy friend at?" he asked.

"Searching for a reason to kick your ass even though I told him not to. I wouldn't give him one," I said.

Marius chuckled. "So, have you heard, I'm dating Pansy Parkinson?"

I laughed, and not just any laugh, one of those laughs that my head lose oxygen and that came from a good place deep down inside.

"What?" I asked.

"Think that's funny?" he asked.

"No, I just didn't think she was your type," I said. "Then again, you are really passionate about animals and Pansy does resemble a pug. I can see the attraction."

Marius scoffed. "You're just jealous."

And then, I laughed again.

"Wow, you're still hilarious. Why would I be jealous of a girl who relentlessly harassed me and tried to get me tossed out of school repeatedly?" I asked.

"I'd want you out as well if I could," Marius said.

"Right, that's why you tried _so_ hard to get me to date you, to help you with your master plan to get me tossed out. Of course it all makes sense now," I said, rolling my eyes.

"I was dating you because I thought you were easy," he said.

_*If I had a galleon. . .*_

"And where on earth did you get that notion?" I asked.

"You look the part," he said.

"How does one look easy? Please tell me," I said.

"Well, there's no better indicator than getting knocked up at 16 is there? I bet you still let Malfoy have his way with you every now and again. Look on the bright side—you don't have to use condoms anymore," he said.

I had half a mind to slap him but decided against it. Instead I took my drink and splashed it in his face.

"How dare you?" I asked.

"Well with all that stuff I'd heard about you and Malfoy I figured I wouldn't have to try very hard," Marius said.

I filled my glass back up and splashed it on him again.

"You're insane," Marius said.

I filled my glass up and splashed it on him once more.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. You insult me, I toss my drink on you. You insult me, I toss my drink on you. Clearly, _you_ are the insane one," I said I filled my glass back up. "But who knows, maybe next time I won't splash you. Would you like to find out?"

"What's going on over here?" Draco asked, Harry and Ron in tow.

"Oh, you know, we're just testing out this theory to see if Drake here is insane," I said.

"You're a bitch," Marius said.

I splashed my drink on him. "Yep, he's insane."

"I think you ought to leave," Harry said.

Marius leered at me and then stalked off.

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"First of all, he's dating Pansy, which is hilarious," I said.

"Pansy Parkinson?" Draco asked. I nodded. "Way to down grade."

"Says the boy who dated Astoria Greengrass," I said.

". . . Touché," he said.

"Well anyway, he told me I was easy and that's the only reason he went out with me in the first place. I decided it was better to just splash my drink on him than to hit him or break my glass and try to shank him with it," I said.

"Okay, slow down, Crazy, slow down," Ron said.

"I did. I didn't shank him did I?" I asked.

"Do you know how terrible it is that that is the first place your brain goes to?" Harry said.

"Whatever," I said.

"Dumbledore's here. He's looking for you," Draco said.

"Is he?" I asked. "Where is he?"

"Give him a second. I'm sure he'll pop up," Ron said.

"Who'll pop up?"

And of course, there was Dumbledore.

"There we go," Ron said.

"Hannah, I was looking for you," Dumbledore said. "This is Rebecca Rivers. She works as the minister's personal assistant."

There was a tall woman standing next to Dumbledore. She had long curly brown hair and was looking frantically through her purse.

"Uh, Miss Rivers," Dumbledore said.

She looked up at him and then over to me.

"Hi! You must be Hannah! Tonks' desk is covered in your pictures. . . And yours. . . And yours. . . And there's one of you too," she said pointing to Harry, Ron and Draco. She returned to digging in her purse. "Anyway, sorry Rufus is in your business all the time. I had to threaten to break his hands so he wouldn't send you baby stuff, but compared to Cornelius he's much easier to handle. Ten times less crazy."

"Glad to hear it," I said.

"Aha! I found it!" she cheered as she pulled a letter out of her purse. "This is from the department of education. The results of your NEWTs."

"Oh," I said taking the letter. I opened it and pulled out the paper inside. I looked it over.

"Well?" Dumbledore asked.

"Whoa. . . All Os," I said. "I was sure I was going to get an A in ancient runes, but I didn't!"

"Fantastic job, Hannah," Draco said.

"And I also have this for you," she said, pulling another letter out of her purse.

I opened this letter. "It says I've been scheduled to take my teaching license exam next Friday."

"Don't worry. Teaching exam is easy as pie, especially since you got all Os on the NEWT," Rebecca said. "Congrats by the way."

"Thank you," I said.


	54. Drunk Talk

_[A/N: I know this chapter is short but the next chapter is going to be so BAMF. Seriously. SOO excited for it!]_

"I'm worried," I said to Sirius as I watched Harry, Ron, and Draco.

"A little alcohol never hurt anyone," Sirius said.

"True, but I'm sure they will regret it tomorrow," I said.

"That is not your problem," Lupin said.

"It's my brother, my fiancé, and my best friend. I think it is my problem especially since I'm sure that any minute Ginny and Hermione are gonna get tired of babysitting them and start drinking to make them seem less insane," I said.

"Then I guess it is your problem," Sirius said. I chuckled. "So who was that dark haired boy you kept splashing punch onto?"

"Oh, him?" I asked. "A wedding crasher. Marius Drake."

"The ex-boyfriend?" Sirius asked.

"I thought there was a-."

"Restraining order? Expired last week," I said. "And before you ask, no Emily did not invite him. She did however invite Cormac McLaggen who is a jerk and he brought Marius as his plus one. All this has taught me is that I apparently have terrible taste in men."

At just that moment, Harry, Ron, and Draco began belting out the lyrics to Enrique Iglesias' "Hero."

I groaned and tried to tune them out.

"Yep, it's downright awful," Lupin said.

I leered at Lupin. "So, have you talked to Tonks at all today?"

Lupin went to answer me but Sirius beat him to it.

"No. They had a bit of a row last night and haven't spoken since," he said.

"Aw, trouble in paradise then?" I asked. Lupin rolled his eyes at me. "Did you know Parvati knows?"

"How does Parvati know?" Lupin asked.

"Sirius told her," I said.

"Why would you do that?" Lupin asked him.

"Because she asked me obviously," Sirius said. "And you know how you're so big on honesty."

"So naturally everyone knows. Harry's waiting for the opportune time to kick you in the shins," I said.

"I'll watch my back," Lupin said.

"Sometimes you have to stop being sensible and just go for it," I said. "And you're much smarter than Sirius and me so choosing not to be sensible won't land you in as much as it landed us in."

There was a tap on my shoulder. There was Harry.

"Hello," he said.

"Think you'll remember any of this tomorrow?" I asked.

"Doubt it. Which is why I wanted to talk to you before my coordination and ability to speak is completely gone," he said.

"But if you won't remember any of it tomorrow then what does it matter?" Lupin asked.

"Hey. . . Hey. . . Hey listen, _Lupin_. I know all about you and Tonks and what's _not_ going between the two of and I. . . And I am completely. . . Completely. . . Feeling some type of strong and serious. . . _Feeling _about all that," Harry said.

"Guess that ability to speak is gone, then," Sirius said.

I nodded.

Harry sat down on my chair with me and stared hard at Lupin.

"You know, I really, really, really love Tonks. She's like mother to me and it makes me really upset that she's so sad and gloopy all of the time," Harry said.

"Gloopy?" Sirius asked.

"I think he meant gloomy," I replied.

"And I want her to be happy and stuff. And I would expect this kind of behavior out of Sirius but not out of you," Harry said. "I am very, very, _very_ disappointed in you. Because you know what you guys would be together. . . It would be like. . . Just a little change, small to say the least. Both a little scared. Neither one prepared. Beauty and the beast."

"What is it with you three and singing when you're intoxicated?" I asked.

"Wait, there's a song called 'Beauty and the Beast'? Why have I never heard it? Do you know how much taunting I could do with that song? All the nights of relentless harassment that have passed me by because I didn't know it existed?" Sirius asked. "Now I have to go find it, learn it, and then sing it to you both. Oh, the plans I have now."

I shook my head. It was official. Snape was the only adult in my life who knew how to not behave like a child.

"Tale as old as time! Tune as old as song! Bittersweet and strange—finding you can change! Learning you were wrong!" Harry went on singing.

"Why are you singing that song of all songs?"

We looked over to see Tonks standing there.

"Because it's you and he and all of the people with nothing do. Nothing to lose. 'Cause it's you and he and all of the people and I. . . He don't. . . No. . . No! Damn it! The grammar doesn't work for that song!" Harry said.

". . . I am so sorry and you are _really_ drunk," Tonks said.

"Yeah," Harry said. "If I were Hannah, I would've made out with Ginny by now."

"But Ginny's your girlfriend. You can make out with her whenever you feel like," I said.

"Yeah, but she's been drinking too so I'm avoiding her because I don't know what we'll do if we're both drunk," Harry said. He looked over at me. "I mean, I don't want to end up like you after all."

". . . Rude," I said.

"It's not only rude, it's not fair that he's blackout drunk and s_till_ more responsible than you," Sirius said.

". . . Also rude," I said. "Harry why don't you go find Draco and Ron and do a rendition of some song."

"Yes! Slow Juking!" Harry said.

"No! Not that song!" I said, but Harry was already gone. I sighed. "My bad."

"You can't really be held responsible for anything he does, Hannah," Tonks said.

"Yeah, I can and I will," I said. "Just you watch."

"Does he always sing when he's drunk?" Tonks asked.

"I dunno. Usually I'm the really drunk one so he's usually trying to keep an eye on me," I said. "It's really strange, the shoe being on the other foot."

"And what was with the random rendition of Disney music?" Tonks asked.

"Ah! You see, Sirius told Parvati, the town crier, about you and Lupin here so now _everyone_ here knows," I said.

"And how does that make you feel?" Sirius asked.

"Like I want to kick your ass, but I feel that all of the time anyway," Tonks said.

"Not feeling the love, Tonks," Sirius replied.

"I know the feeling," Tonks giving Lupin a wink.

I sighed. "I'm going to go babysit my brother some more."

I got up from the table and started over to where Draco was with Ron.

But then someone grabbed me and pulled me out to the dance floor.

"Hello, sister," Harry said.

"I thought you were going to go sing," I said.

"Changed my mind. I wanted to talk to you instead," he said. "How's life?"

"You know how life is. I share mine with you," I said.

"How's your wedding planning going?" Harry asked.

"I'm not getting married for a while. I haven't planned anything yet," I said.

"Haven't you even thought about anything?" Harry asked. "Like your dress, where you want to have it, the colors even. Don't all girls think about that kind of thing?"

"I guess, and I did before but. . . Things are different now. . . Really different," I said. "I mean, I'm having a baby, we're still not sure if Draco's going to graduate next year because he's doing so poorly not to mention other circumstances surrounding him."

"You make it sound like you're not completely sure about all this," Harry said.

"I am sure. . . I'm just scared. . . For him," I said.

"Don't worry. Take my word for it," Harry said.

"You're drunk. I'm not taking your word for it," I said.

"But when I _wasn't_ drunk, he told me something," Harry said.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"I can't tell you. It's a secret," he said. "But you've got nothing to worry about. And you know how I feel about all of this."

"Yeah, I do," I said. "Do you always get this emotional when you drink?"

Harry shrugged. "Who cares?"

888


	55. The Honeymoon Is Over

"I love you," Draco said to me, as we walked down the hall. His arm was around me and I was practically dragging him down the hall.

"I know," I said.

"When I'm feelin' blue, all I have to do, is take a look at you, then I'm not so blue! When you're close to me, I can feel your heart beat, I can hear you breathing in my ear. Wouldn't you agree, baby you and me, got a groovy kind of love," Draco sang. "Do we have a groovy kind of love, Hannah?"

"Yes, dear," I said as we reached his room. I took his key and unlocked the door.

It was 11:30 now. Fred and Emily had gone to the airport to honeymoon in Italy for the rest of the week. Harry, Ron, and Draco had become so wasted that by the evening concluded with them kicking Kaitlin offstage to sing a rendition of Savage Garden's "Truly, Madly, Deeply."

I walked Draco into his room and sat him down on his bed. He instantly fell over onto the bed. He continued to slur the lyrics to "A Groovy Kind of Love" as he laid there. I could hear Harry vomiting in the bathroom where Hermione was talking him down.

I walked back out into the hall where I found, Sirius.

"Harry and Draco are in their room," I said.

"Good, what about Ron?" Sirius asked.

"Ginny's got him to my knowledge," I said.

"Excellent. We'll be leaving early tomorrow so be ready for that," Sirius said. "Oh, by the way. You wouldn't happened to have seen your buddy Remus have you?"

"I saw him in the lobby on my way up here. For once he was having a row with Janessa and not Tonks," I said.

"It must be so horrible to be Moony and just having beautiful girls throwing themselves at you all the time and just telling them no," Sirius said shaking his head.

"Which reminds me, steer clear of Parvati Patil," I said.

"Why?" Sirius asked.

"Because you love me," I said.

". . . I'm going to assume this is just something I should let go, right?" he asked. I nodded.

"Where's Tonks?" I asked.

"Right here," she said popping out of her room, still dressed in her black and white polka dotted dress. "Did you need me?"

"No, just curious is all. I mean, being that Lupin is beating off something other girl with a stick at the moment," I replied.

"Oh, haha," she said, rolling her eyes.

Kaitlin came out of the stairwell, looking pale and confused.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "No. . . No I'm not."

"What's the matter?" Sirius asked.

Kaitlin opened her mouth to speak but simply shook her head.

"It's all just. . . It all makes so much sense now. . . My ineptitude at potions, my intelligence, my ability to be a good student yet somehow manage to single handedly cause trouble in a way that even my teachers are impressed with . . . My random bouts of self loathing! God, I'm so stupid! It was so obvious." Kaitlin said.

"I'm lost," I said looking over to Tonks.

"Is everything alright? I heard shouting," Hermione said stepping out into the hall.

". . . My mother is a liar. The worst sort of liar. Who lies to their child for damn near 17 years?" Kaitlin asked. "And I can't even begin to imagine what Lupin must be thinking right now?"

"Wait? What's this got to do with Lupin?" I asked.

"And you!" Kaitlin said turning to Tonks. "You knew all the time and didn't tell _anyone_?"

"Well. . . I. . . It didn't really seem like the kind of thing I was supposed divulge," Tonks said sheepishly.

Out of the stairwell emerged Lupin. We all froze, except Tonks. Lupin looked straight to her and leered.

He pointed at her. Tonks quickly retreated into her room and closed the door.

"Don't think that because you close the door I'm going to let it go," Lupin said marching to her door.

"But it works _so_ well when you do it to me. Besides, you're angry. No one likes to talk to you when you're angry," Tonks responded through the door.

"Well you lied to me," Lupin said.

Tonks opened the door a crack and leaned out. "I didn't lie. I merely withheld the truth."

"And now you can see what a wonderful idea that was," Lupin said.

"It's not as if anyone got hurt," Tonks said.

". . . I am super confused right now," Hermione said.

"The feeling is mutual," I said.

"Oi, what's with all the ruckus out here?" Veronica asked leaning out of her room, Lydia behind her.

"Yeah, some of us are well on their way to being hung over and need to sleep," Draco said popping up behind Hermione with Harry.

"I'm sorry you guys. Remus here has just decided to become a crazy person all of a sudden," Tonks said.

Lupin reached out and grabbed Tonks' arm and slowly backed her into the room, closing the door behind them.

"Kaitlin, what exactly is going on here?" Sirius asked.

"My mom dropped the bomb dude. Totally dropped the bomb," Kaitlin said. "I feel like Luke Skywalker now, except, you know, I have two hands and my father isn't evil."

And with that reference, everyone who had been listening in suddenly understood what was going on.

"Oh. My. God," Veronica said. "Remus is your father?"

Kaitlin nodded once. "My whole life has been a lie. . . But it was _so_ obvious!"

"I dunno. . . When is your birthday?" Sirius asked.

"In August," Kaitlin said.

Sirius did some mental math and then nodded. "I guess that is right then."

Veronica nodded.

"It's not as if I'm cursing the universe because he's my father or anything. I mean, my step-dad Kevin was as psychotic as they get. I mean, I could even say I fully approve of this. I just don't understand why my mother lied to me about it my whole life," Kaitlin said.

"And how exactly does Tonks fit into all of this?" Sirius asked.

"Oh! Brilliant woman your cousin is. As soon as Kevin broke out of Azkaban, Tonks went to update his file. She sees he used to be married to my mum. Tonks chanced a glance at my birth certificate and saw that it wasn't signed by my father. Then using the same mental math that I'm assuming you just used, she figured it out all on her own," Kaitlin said.

"Whoa. . ." Harry said. "Cray-zay."

"Alright, to bed with you two," Hermione said.

Just as Hermione was ushering the boys into their room, Kingsley appeared in the stairwell.

"Sirius, round everyone up," he said.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Trouble. There's a whole mess of death eaters outside and they all look eager," Kingsley said.

"Veronica, stay up here with the kids. All of you back into your rooms now and don't come out," Sirius said as he went to Tonks and Lupin's door.

I walked with Hermione into the boy's room and closed the door.

"I'm not really in the mood for death eaters today," Harry said lying down on his bed.

"Is anyone ever?" Draco asked lying down on his.

"Don't worry. I'm sure they can handle it," Hermione said.

"Yeah, if Voldemort sent the B-Squad. I get the feeling he's upgraded since what happened at the ministry," I said. I walked into my room and grabbed my potions bag.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked.

"Making you a potion to sober you up just in case we do get attacked," I said. "I'm in a delicate condition after all and Hermione wouldn't be able to manage on her own."

"How long is this going to take?" Hermione asked.

"Just as soon as I find it actually. I anticipated someone being drunk off their asses today so I brought them ready made," I said. "Aha!" I pulled out two vials of the maroon liquid and made the boys drink it.

Hermione went over to the window. "We can see from here. I see Lestrange and Greyback but. . . I don't recognize the rest of these people," she said. "Draco, your parents are friendly with this lot. Can you tell who they are?"

Draco walked over to the window. "Definitely not the B-Squad."

"Who are they?" Harry asked.

"Rookwood, Dolohov, Travers, Gibbon, Mulciber. These guys have been deatheaters for years. Most of them should be in prison," Draco said. "Looks like they've brought along Fitzpatrick as well."

"Kevin Fitzpatrick?" I asked.

"Yep," Draco said.

"What are they doing here?" I asked.

"Who know," Harry said.

There came a trumpet like roar from out of the woods.

"What was that?" I asked.

"It sounded like some sort of monster," Draco said.

". . . Manticore!" Hermione shouted.

"What? A manticore?" I asked.

"It sounds like how it was described in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them," Hermione said.

"It's not that we don't believe you, Hermione. The question is what is one doing here?" Harry asked. "And why is Tonks running into the forest where it is?"

Suddenly a pop came from behind us. Someone had apparated into the room. A shrill cackle drifted over to us.

We all turned slowly to see Bellatrix Lestrange standing in the room with us.

"Hello, children," she said.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked.

Bellatrix laughed at him. "Now Draco, don't think that just because you're my nephew that I'm not going to hurt you if you get in my way, like so."

WHAM!

Arm came from behind us and knocked both me and Draco to the ground.

Before I could comprehend what was going on, an arm reached around my throat and hoisted me up into the air. I looked at who was holding me hostage. Fenrir Greyback.

"Let go of me," I said.

"Stop fidgeting, you" he growled at me.

_"Stupefy!"_ Hermione directed to Bellatrix. She deflected it and then shot and returned one to her.

Harry quickly deflected it.

"Here's what's going to happen," Bellatrix said.

_"Incarcerous!"_

Out of nowhere, Bellatrix was wrapped in ropes. At the door stood Ginny.

"You!" Greyback shouted raising his wand at Ginny.

_"Expelliarmus!"_ Draco shouted knocking the wand out his hand. Greyback turned quickly to Draco, prepared to strike him. _"Confundo!"_

Greyback stopped for a brief moment and dropped me. Draco pulled me away and then Ginny hit him with the bat bogey hex.

Bellatrix was rolling around on the ground struggling and shouting.

_"Silencio,"_ Draco said. Bellatrix immediately went silent.

"Nice team work you two," Harry said.

"Thanks," Ginny said. "I'll just go and find someone to handle these two."

"Are you two alright?" Draco asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked me.

"My neck hurts, obviously, but I'm fine," I said.

"Patronus charm," Harry said looking out the window.

"Whose is it?" I asked.

"Tonks," he said. "Do you think she's in trouble?"

"Why else would she send for someone?" I asked.

"I hope she's alright," Draco said.


	56. In Which Tonks Is A Hospitalized BAMF

_[A/N: This chapter is for TWO people: Crazy's Wat I Aim For simply for writing the words "Lupin's got a baby momma" in your review. I laughed so hard and so long. Thank you. Also it's for Demonic-Kat who's writing a fanfic of her own (which I demand you all go read) and she said some really sweet stuff about me that touched my heart.]_

_[A/N II: Tonks and Lupin are my OTP (One True Pairing/Relationship you favor above all others). What is your OTP?]_

Since there were death eaters being held captive in Harry and Draco's room, we'd all been wrangled into Veronica's room.

"Does crazy shit like this go down _every _time you leave the house?" Parvati asked.

"Not every time. More so this year than usual," Harry said.

"Jesus. I'm never hanging out with you guys outside of school again," Padma said.

"We don't blame you," I said. "It takes a special kind of person to handle our brand of crazy."

"Clearly," Parvati said.

The door opened and Lydia walked in.

"Alright, the grounds are clear of death eaters. Patil twins you are no longer our hostages," she said. "The rest of you stay put. My mum needs to talk to you."

Lydia walked the twins out of the room, leaving the rest of us to sit there.

"Something must've happened," Kaitlin said.

"Why else would they just stick us in a room like this and not tell us anything?" George said.

"And did you hear all that panicked shouting about half an hour ago?" I asked.

"Maybe someone got loose," Danielle suggested.

The door opened and Veronica walked inside.

"Alright, one final check, everyone here is okay?" she asked.

"Yep," Ron piped in.

"Good. So. . . I've got some. . . news," Veronica said.

"Good news or bad news?" Harry asked.

"Not good news but I'd stay away from calling it bad news because it could _a lot_ worse," she said. "So. . . Here goes. . . it goes without saying that you all. . . Care for Tonks very dearly."

I felt like my heart was going to stop beating in my chest.

"Is she okay?" Harry asked.

"She will be. At the moment if I were to say yes to that question I would be lying," Veronica said.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

Veronica shook her head. "She went after Fitzpatrick, the death eater, into the woods and, well. . . Somehow, someway, our amazing Ministry of Magic managed to lose track of a manticore."

"You're kidding right? She was attacked by a manticore?" Kaitlin asked.

"Yes. It sounds crazy but that's what happened and. . . She got hurt _really _badly. If Kingsley, Sirius, and Remus had taken even a few moments longer to find her she might not have made it," Veronica said. "Dana and Snape tried to see if they could help her but, there was nothing they could do here. She's at St. Mungo's now."

No one spoke. We barely breathed. Snape was a very skilled potions master and there was never an injury Dana couldn't handle. What happened to Tonks that changed that.

"You're wondering how bad she was hurt probably uhm. . ." Veronica paused, sounding a bit choked up, as if even recalling it was horrible. "Well, according to St. Mungo's she had a broken leg, dislocated shoulder, six broken ribs, severe and extensive cuts and bruising over 60 percent of her body."

"Holy crap," Ron said.

"They say that she'll make a full recovery but she's going to be in St. Mungo's for a while," Veronica said. "Remus, Sirius, and her parents are there with her now. Remus said he'd come and let us know when they would let others in to see her. It probably won't be until you all are back at school though."

"She's really in that bad shape?" Draco asked.

"Mostly from the pain. She's pretty heavily sedated," Veronica said. "Of course, it's not all bad. Leave it to Tonks to manage to take out both Kevin and the manticore while getting all of those injuries and living to tell about it."

"Tough as nails doesn't begin to describe it," Harry said.

888

"It's kind of weird being here without them here isn't it?" Hermione asked. It was Wednesday night and we were back at Grimmauld Place with just enough time left in the day to eat dinner and go to bed.

"Without who?" Harry asked.

"Tonks, Lupin, and Sirius. One of them is usually always here," Hermione said.

"Yeah, it is god-awful quiet without Tonks breaking something or Sirius teasing someone or Lupin reprimanding Sirius for teasing someone," Ron said.

"Wow, they're gone not even 24 hours and you're already nostalgic," Veronica said.

"This place is causing me to have serious separation anxiety. . . No pun intended," Harry said.

Just then the kitchen door opened and Sirius walked in.

"Oh, good, you're here," Mr. Weasley said.

"Yes. They don't see you for a day and they think the world's ending. I can't imagine what they're like at school," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I won't say much, but I will say there are a lot of tears involved," Harry said.

"But enough about Sirius. How is Tonks?" I asked.

Sirius groaned and plopped down into a chair.

"To be blunt, I think I've lost the capability of showing concern for other people thanks to her," Sirius said. "I am all worried out. All night and all say long her condition is just up and down and up and down and have you ever tried to console someone's mother when they think their child is dying? It is _not_ easy. But finally a few hours ago they finally said she was out of the red and would be ready to go home by Monday. That being said the rest of you are not allowed to get hurt and if you do get hurt I'm going to be completely dethatched because thanks to Tonks I am never going to be able to express concern again."

"Well as long as she's alright that's fine," Harry said.

"I suppose," Sirius said. "I need to sleep. I have been awake for far too long."

"Where's Remus at?" Dana asked.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Sirius started, "she's been mostly sleeping the whole time and when she does wake up they just put her back to sleep because she's in too much pain to be awake, but now that she's woken up without blinding pain of course the first request that she makes is for him not to go anywhere, not that he was going to anyway. They disgust me with their nonexistent relationship."

"We can have a nonexistent relationship if you want, Sirius," Veronica said.

"I am too tired to be offended or amused by that comment," he said. "I'm going to bed. If you all so desire you can go and see Tonks tomorrow."

Sirius got up from the table and stalked up off stairs. After Mrs. Weasley served us dinner she left Veronica and Dana in charge and she and Mr. Weasley went also.

It was quiet while we ate. There was no denying that we were all tired after the events of yesterday and the long bus ride home wasn't an environment conducive to sleeping.

When we crawled into bed that night, despite how tired I was, I didn't sleep well. I tossed and turned and continually woke up through the night.

By the time seven rolled around I was done trying to sleep and got up. I dressed and walked down to the kitchen where Dana and Lupin were.

"I thought you were at the hospital with Tonks," I said.

"I had to get her a change of clothes," Lupin said. "Why are you up so early? 

"Didn't sleep well," I said. "So I'm up."

"Well, I'm heading back to St. Mugno's if you want to come with me. I know Sirius is supposed to take you later but you're up so why not," Lupin suggested.

I shrugged. "I guess so. This way I can hog all of her attention before the others arrive."

Before long Lupin and I were sitting outside of her room at St. Mungo's while she chatted with her parents.

"So, how are you?" Lupin asked.

I shrugged. "Fine. I kind of feel. . . Nothing."

"Meaning what?" he asked.

"Just that I've spent the past three months being excited and anxious and terrified and worried and happy and confused and I just can't feel anymore," I said. "I need to lock myself inside of a room where nothing happens for a week and then I'll come out of it fine."

"I think maybe you're just tired," Lupin said.

"That could also be the cause," I said. "How are you?"

"Also tired, but fine," he said.

"So. . . Kaitlin's your daughter," I said. Lupin nodded. "How does that make you feel?"

"I don't know," he said. "How do you think I should feel?"

"I don't know. I'm not really savvy on how to handle illegitimate children," I said. "You're on your own with this one."

"Figured you'd probably say that," he said.

"Have you talked to Janessa at all?" I asked.

"Certainly you don't expect Janessa to be speaking to me after how angry I got with her," he said.

"Yeah, Kaitlin mentioned there was some shouting," I said. "I reckon Tonks isn't at mad you for getting angry being that she's holding you hostage here."

"I guess being attacked by a manticore makes you overlook your friend's stupidity," Lupin said.

"Of course as far as she's concerned you're stupid in more than one facet of her life," I said.

"I think that's debatable," he said.

"I disagree," I said.

Tonks parents walked out of her room. This was the first time I'd ever seen Tonks' dad. I just hoped his attitude was better than Andromeda's.

"Oh, Hannah, you're here," she said to me.

"Yep, thanks to insomnia," I said.

"So you're Hannah! My daughter just goes on and on about you. I'm her dad by the way, Ted," her dad said to me.

"Nice to meet you," I said.

"Well we'd better get going," Andromeda said. "It was nice seeing you again, Hannah. . . Remus."

"Oh, don't mind her Remus. We'll be seeing you," Ted said lightheartedly. He dragged his wife away.

"Well, she was pleasant to me but she clearly still hates you," I said.

Lupin shrugged. "You should ask Tonks why that is."

"You could always just tell me," I said.

Lupin handed me the bag of Tonks' clothes. "Or you could go in and see her."

I stuck my tongue out at him, but stood and walked into Tonks' room anyway. She was sitting up in bed reading _Witch Weekly_.

"Oi," I said.

She looked up at me and smiled. "What are you doing here so early? Sirius said he wasn't bringing you until the afternoon."

"I was up early so I came with Lupin. He's out in the hall. He just got finished being harassed by your mum again," I said.

"Oh, she'll get over that," she replied dismissively.

"Get over what?" I asked.

Tonks stared at me blankly for a moment and shook her head. "So he didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I asked.

Tonks raised her scratched and bandaged arm and pointed to her head. "Hair."

"Yes, it's lovely," I said.

Tonks chuckled. "It's pink."

"It's _always_ pink," I said. Her expression changed quickly into an annoyed frown. Then it hit me. "Oh! Lupin!"

"Good gracious, did you suddenly become extraordinarily dense since I saw you last?" she asked.

"No, I just wasn't expecting to hear that today," I said. "I'd hug you but-."

"That would cause me severe pain. Thank you for the thought though," she said. "So, I've been looking at the _Witch Weekly_, today. It's awful."

"That tabloid is garbage. I detest that magazine as much as I hate _The Prophet_," I said.

"You, Harry, and Draco are all they talk about in here, I mean, aside from Pixie Lott. And then they rope all of your friends into it," Tonks said. "And this article in here about Fred and Emily's wedding makes you and Harry sound absolutely scandalous."

"Read it to me. I love hearing about how scandalous I am," I said.

"Alright, it says, 'This week the Potter Twins attended a wedding for close family friend, Fred Weasley, co-owner of the successful joke shop, Weasley Wizard Wheezes, to Emily Washington. As always, Draco Malfoy was present at Hannah Potter's side, but curiously enough this photograph of Potter and her beau shows her sporting a very classy diamond ring. Could there be another wedding in the works and could it possibly have something to do with what looks like a baby-bump that she's sporting? Only time will tell, of course. As for her brother, it looks like the ladies man, Harry Potter, is off the market again. Reports have been pouring in from Hogwarts for months that he's been getting familiar with a red headed Quidditch player by the name of Ginny Weasley and looks like the reports are true. He was seen here stealing a quick kiss from the maid-of-honor at the wedding. With Mister Potter's track record, it won't be long until he's ditched her for a new model.'"

"I'm sorry, but Harry? A ladies man? I wonder who their sources are telling them that nonsense," I said.

Tonks laughed. "Ever the optimist. Sure you're alright with you being pregnant and engaged getting around to the masses?"

I shrugged. "They'd find out sooner or later anyway. It doesn't matter to me if they know though. I mean, these are the same people who thought I was crazy last year. They can think what they want to."


	57. Past, Present, Future

_[A/N: Two things: National Novel Writing Month (or, NaNoWriMo) is this month which means… SLOW UPDATES. If you've been with me for a while you know all about NaNoWriMo and my determination to succeed in writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. It's tough but I did it both years I competed before and 3rd time's a charm right? I also have to continue with school and all that unpleasantness so I'll be super busy! Just hang in there! SECOND THING: It's crunch time. I am almost done with this series and contemplating the next. I predict 15 more chapters at the VERY most are left, but I'll probably end it with something more along the lines of 10 or something.]_

_[A/N II: This chapter is for NandsGirl who is a new, but very excited reader, and I love new readers!]_

It wasn't long before Sunday rolled around. While everyone else was preparing to return home, I was staying put, preparing for a week of intense studying to get my teaching license at the end of the week.

"So, what exactly do you have to do on this exam?" Draco asked.

"From what Rebecca told me, it's actually a pretty subjective test. I just need to make sure I actually know what's appropriate in classrooms and whatnot. And let me tell you, there are a lot of inappropriate things to do in a classroom," I said.

"So. . . What do you plan to do after you get your license?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I'll finish up student teaching at Hogwarts this year. Next year. . . I'll probably be spending a lot of time here taking care of the baby." Draco frowned. "Oh, you're not going to apologize again are you?"

"Well, I can't help it. I've completely ruined your life," Draco said. "I wasn't even creative about it."

I laughed. "What?"

"We're 16 and we're having a baby. If I was going to ruin your life I could've at least done it some fantastic, unexpected way. But no, we are so completely conventional," he said.

I laughed. "Draco, with my life being so completely unpredictable and unconventional, it's almost a relief for something to actually be normal."

"Alright then," Draco chuckled. "So. . . Have you thought up any names?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. . . A few. You?"

He nodded. "A few."

"Do you know what would be interesting?" I asked.

"What?" he asked.

"If we have a boy I get to name him and we have a girl you get to name her," I said.

Draco nodded. "Alright. I can dig it. I'm assuming you've decided this because you've got your heart set on a boy's name then?"

"Why yes I do," I said.

"Go on then, tell me," he said.

"Well, I was thinking about how your family, the Black family that is, named pretty much all of your family members after names from astrology and it got me thinking that it was a wonderful idea but most of them are taken and I don't like the ones that aren't, so I turned to Greek mythology and found a few I liked," I said.

"Should I be worried? We're not going to have a name like Nymphadora on our hands are we?" he asked.

"No," I giggled. "But I really like Apollo. It's a very strong name don't you think?" I asked.

Draco nodded. "Yes it is. I could definitely live with our son being name Apollo. And oddly enough the name I picked out is from Greek mythology also."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes. If we have a girl her name shall be Demeter," Draco said.

"Wait. . . Was she the one that ended up married to Hades?" I asked.

"No, that was her daughter, Persephone," he corrected me,

"Ah, right," I said. "Then I am perfectly okay with that."

"Good," he said. "Now, onto other things. Like, when do you want to get married?" he asked.

"After you-."

"I know after I graduate and all that, but assuming I do graduate next June as per our agreement, when would you like this lovely union of ours to take place?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I dunno. I have to do it in the summer so Ginny and Luna and any teachers I invite can actually be there. It'd also be nice to do it before the baby is a year old so they won't have the vaguest recollection of the wedding so we can lie to them for years saying 'of course we didn't have you out of wedlock' and then when they're old enough to do math they'll be horrified that we lied to them for all those years and-."

"Babe, you're thinking way too much into that," Draco said.

"Sorry. . . Basically I was thinking July."

Draco nodded. "And where?"

I shrugged. "I'm not fond of any place in particular aside from Hogwarts but it would be weird to get married there so you can pick the venue if you like."

"I'd like to get married at my house if my mom ever comes back around," he said.

"She will and that sounds like a wonderful idea," I said.

"And. . . What about colors?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said. "Have you suddenly been bitten by the planning bug?"

"No it's just. . . I'd like to have something to look forward to amidst all the unpredictability," Draco said.

"Well you don't know for sure that I'm going to marry you," I said.

"What? Do you think I won't graduate?" he asked.

"You know what I think and it has nothing to do with your grades," I said.

"That rubbish again, Hannah?" Draco asked.

"It's not rubbish, Draco. Nothing has changed since we got engaged. Can you honestly blame me for being skeptical?" I asked. "You know I love you more than anything, but sometimes love isn't enough. It certainly isn't enough in this case. Make me believe you really want this."

"You know I want this," Draco said.

"I know your heart does. . . But I think your brain and your heart need to get on the same page," I said.

Draco nodded. "Sounds like I need to step my game up a bit."

"I think so," I said.

The lounge doors opened from the kitchen and to our surprise, Tonks walked in.

"Hey you," I said. "I thought you were going to be in St. Mungo's until tomorrow."

"That was the plan originally, you know St. Mungo's can't keep me down," she said. "Besides, I had to see this lot off didn't I?"

"We're not so special," Draco replied.

"Of course you are," she said. "What've you two been talking about?"

"Wedding stuff actually," I replied.

"Oh, yeah. Sometimes I forget about that," she said. "What about this big wedding of yours?"

"We're getting married in July," I asked.

"July?" she asked, slightly horrified.

"Next year," Draco clarified.

"Oh, _next _July. That's ten times less scary," she said.

"I already told we're not getting married until after he finishes school you silly woman," I said.

"I can never be sure with you two," said heading upstairs. "You're full of surprises."

888

After everyone headed back to Hogwarts that evening, I sat in the kitchen looking over my books for Friday while Sirius cleaned up around me.

"Hannah," he started. I looked up at him from my book.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Are we. . . You know. . . Are we cool?" he asked.

I stared at him curiously and chuckled as I returned to my book.

"Of course we are. I just can't live with you out of the fear that I'll hurt you," I replied. "We're perfectly cool."

"Oh. . . Good. . . I was just wondering, you know, because you hardly talk to me anymore since we had that row," he said.

"It is water under the bridge," I said. "Besides, you were really good to Draco while he was here which I didn't expect but I really appreciate."

"Well you were right. I was being kind of awful to him," Sirius replied.

"Not to his face at least," I said. "But I know you still don't trust him and I don't really expect that to change anytime soon."

"It's getting easier though," Sirius said with a nod. "He certainly does seem to care about you a lot."

"He loves me, Sirius," I said.

"I know, I know," he said. "I'm just waiting to see how much he does love you."

I nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything within reason," he answered.

"Why did you and Veronica give up Lydia?" I asked.

Sirius took a deep breath and went back to cleaning. "Well, as you know, I left, was kicked out, whatever, when I was 16, after I found out Veronica was pregnant and told my mum. As it turns out at the time Veronica and I weren't actually together. We'd broken for the first time in February, gotten back together late that month, broke up again in March, gotten back together in April and broke up in May."

"Wow," I said.

"I know. Neither of us could really behave to be honest. I lay into you a lot about your relationship with Draco but to be honest I was both much worse. I cheated on her over and over and over. God knows why she kept taking me back or why she's with me now," Sirius said.

"Well you haven't cheated on her recently have you?" I asked.

"Uh, no. Not since we were in school," Sirius said rolling his eyes at my silly question. "Anyway, come July before sixth year I get a letter from your mum who had been frantically writing me days telling me to talk to Veronica but I was very firm in my stance to have nothing to do with her, however, this letter Lily sent me was particularly odd."

"Why?" I asked.

"She asked me to come over which she had never done before," Sirius said. "Sensing that this was probably an urgent matter, I decided to get up and go. I get there and, lo, there's Veronica at her house with James and Remus and the rest of the gang."

"They all knew before you did?" I asked.

He nodded. "And I was ignoring her so she'd used the others to try and get in touch with me but, like I said, I was an idiot. But anyway, after she told me, she went with me to tell my mum who was less happy than I was when you told me you were pregnant. There was name calling and throwing things. I told her that if she was going to be that way that I didn't want to be around her and she told me to get out so I did."

"And now I see why it was a bad thing to tell you I was pregnant, say you were like your mother and then walk out on you," I said.

"Correct," he said. "But, those first few nights Lily's parents were kind enough to let me crash with them. After that I stayed at James' house for a long while, but I bounced around a lot that summer. It was that summer that essentially led to our decision to let her go. I wasn't stable. Her parents obviously hated me and weren't too pleased with her either. Then we got back to Hogwarts and I was still the same old prat I had been the year before. I was a promiscuous, nomadic 16-year-old who couldn't take care of himself, let alone a girl and a baby. Veronica's parents wanted as little to do with Lydia as possible. When we finally came to our senses and realized how utterly incapable of being teen parents we were going to be we just. . . Got Dumbledore's help, found an orphanage and when Lydia was born we decided that would be a better option for her than anything we could give her. I had wanted to raise Lydia, I did but. . . She deserved better."

I nodded.

"Why do you ask?" he asked me.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just wanted to see if I was making the right decision."

"Hannah, you don't have to worry about that. You being a mom is still an idea I'm struggling with but you have all kinds of support that I never got to have. And it may seem like Narcissa is being unreasonable and evil, but she'll forgive Draco soon. She's not as hateful as my mother was and the thought us having a hand in raising her grandchild, even if you're the mother will eat her alive," he said.

I chuckled. "I guess you're going to be kind of like a grandparent too, aren't you?"

"No, I'm going to be more like a weird uncle," Sirius said.

I shook my head. "I love you, Sirius."


	58. Murder in the Bathroom

_[A/N: What up, ya'll! Hope you're enjoying life. I had way too much fun writing this first scene. I hope it makes you giggle, especially since shit gets beef after this. The next chapter may horrify you. Also, wanna give a shout out to my new twitter follower! I dunno your real name but you mentioned you liked my stories so thank you darling!]_

"You know what would be tasty right now?" I asked.

"I can't really say that I care," Lupin replied.

I'd been at his house since Sunday night. It was now late Thursday evening, nearly 10, and both of us were waiting patiently for Tonks to get home. I had asked for a snack but was not satisfied with the results.

"Sushi. Do you know how good sushi is?" I asked.

"I don't like seafood," he replied, reading from his book as he sat across the table from me.

"It's delicious. The rice makes it sweet ever so slightly but the fish is nice and salty. I personally am a fan of the spicy tuna rolls and I like to smoother them in wasabi to teach my sinuses that I run the show," I said.

"Masochist," Lupin replied, still exerting as little energy as necessary to pay attention to me.

"But I can't eat sushi. You know why?" I asked.

"Something about mercury poisoning," he said.

"Because all the mercury in fish could absorb into my baby and then, wham! My kid comes out lookin' like that guy from the Goonies," I said.

"I don't think it works like that," Lupin said.

"You know what else I can't eat?" I asked him. "Steak. I mean, I can eat all the steak I want as long as it's cooked thoroughly and what's the point in eating a steak if it's not cooked to a perfect medium rare."

"Your life must be so hard," Lupin said.

"Stop being so unsympathetic," I said.

"I'm trying really hard but every time you open your mouth you whine and it's gotten to the point where I just don't care," he said turning the page in his book.

"Well maybe I wouldn't whine so much if you didn't try to pass off celery as a decent snack. Celery has negative calories in it, Lupin. My baby needs calories to survive," I said.

"I'm sure they'll survive off the giant bag of Doritos you ate this morning," he said nonchalantly. "Eat your snack."

"This isn't a snack," I said shaking the celery in front of his face, "this is a _lie_. A big, green crunchy _lie_."

"Please get that out of my face," he said pushing my hand away.

"You know what, Lupin. I didn't think it was going to be this way. I thought maybe Lupin would understand my woes. That he would do his best to keep me happy while I was here, especially when he asked me on to write whatever I wanted on the grocery list on Friday. So you know, I wrote ice cream on the list and I just want to know how many times I'm going to have to fucking write 'ice cream' on the fucking list before someone gets their ass in gear and brings home the fucking ice cream. I dunno. Maybe I should just take a steak knife and etch it into your motherfucking foreheads. I mean how hard can it be? Ice. Motherfucking. Cream. I guess that's the price I pay for living in a world where everyone is so fucking anal about my health but me! Do you know what's in ice cream? Fucking cream which is good for you. And vanilla beans which are also good for you. And sugar—which is fine in moderation. And I will eat a whole tub of ice cream _in_ moderation."

Lupin looked up at me from his book and stared, his eyes narrowing dramatically and confusedly. The front door open and Tonks stumbled in.

"I'm home," she shouted as she slammed the door.

"We wouldn't happen to be in a possession of a blow dart would we?" Lupin asked, still eyeing me suspiciously.

"Is that some sort of euphemism for-?"

"Hi, Tonks! Please don't scar me for life," I called back.

"Oh, sorry Hannah, I keep forgetting you live here," she said coming into the dinning room. "Let me rephrase—why would ask me if I have a blow dart?"

"He just can't handle my crazy," I said dismissively.

"I'm sorry did you or did you not just suggest to, and I quote 'take a steak knife and etch ice cream into my motherfucking forehead', Hannah?" Lupin said.

"I may've said that. Shoot—I say a lot of things," I said.

"Hannah, that is not okay," Tonks said.

"Well, tell your boyfriend to not to try and feed me celery. I mean, jeez, he could've at least given me ants on log or something," I said.

"The celery is fine, Hannah," Tonks said.

"Then you eat it," I said sliding it over to her.

"I don't like celery," she said shaking her head.

". . . Freakin' hypocrites," I said. "I bet dinner at Hogwarts was tasty. . . Rice and chicken and soup and potatoes and all sorts of things I've only come to dream about since I came here."

"You can always go to Grimmauld," Lupin said.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "I think I'll just go to bed and get some sleep. I have the most important exam of my life tomorrow."

"Oi! Hannah!" a voice shouted from the living room.

We walked into the living room to see Ron's head in the fire place.

"What are you doing, Ron?" I asked.

"McGonagall asked for me to send for you. You have to get to Hogwarts right now," he said.

"What's happened?" I asked.

"Draco and Harry got into a _huge _row yesterday and both have essentially been restraining the urge to punch the other in the face ever since. After dinner we lost track of both of them but the McGonagall turns up asking me to send for you," he said.

"What did they do?" I asked.

"I don't know but Harry came back to the common room in a right state, covered in blood, saying Draco was in the hospital, that he had a crap ton of detention every weekend from here until the last day of school, and he has been suspended from Quidditch for the rest of the year," Ron said. "He won't tell us _exactly_ what happened but whatever is was it was serious. And Myrtle has been flying around screaming 'murder in the bathroom' since it happened."

None of this was making any sense. Draco in the hospital? Harry covered in blood? Murder in the bathroom? Was this a joke? Did they decide to get down and dirty and have a good old fashioned knife fight?

"I'm coming right now," I said.

"Hannah-." Tonks started.

"I'll let you know what's going on when I know something," I said stepping into the fire place with a handful of floo powder. "Hogwarts!" I shouted before tossing it down. There was spinning motion and then I was in McGonagall's office.

Ron helped me to my feet.

"I've got to get back upstairs to Harry but you'll want to check on Draco first," he said.

"Thanks," I said. "I'll be there soon as I can."

We went our separate ways in the hall and I made my way to hospital wing. When I entered, Draco was lying unconscious on a bed, his chest heavily bandaged, look more pale than I had ever seen him. Snape was standing by his bed scribbling things down on a clip board when I approached him.

". . . What did Harry do to him?" I asked, choking back tears. "Is he okay?"

Snape scoffed."Mister Malfoy will be fine. He'll wake in the morning, hurting, but he'll recover."

I shook my head. "I just. . . I don't understand. . . How can Harry be capable of something like this? What did he do?"

"You guess is as good as mine," Snape said.

Reluctantly, I left the hospital wing and went up to Gryffindor tower. I was directed to go upstairs to Harry's room where I found him, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny in conversation.

"What the hell did you do to him, Harry?" I asked him immediately. "Did you see him?"

"Yes, Hannah, I-."

"What did he do that so horrible that you had to hospitalize him?" I asked.

"I hadn't meant to hospitalize him. It was this curse I read in the book-."

"The book?" I asked. "That Half-Blood Prince's book you mean?" Harry nodded. "We _all_ told you to get rid of it. Every single one of us and now look what's happened."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"Just. . . Just tell me what happened," I said.

Harry let out a sigh and glanced over to Ginny. She sighed and plugged her ears and started singing Mariah Carey's "Sweet Fantasy" so she couldn't hear us.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I guess. . . It all started yesterday when we got into this big fight about him and you," Harry started. "He cut class and I did like you asked and checked into it. At first I laughed it off, just trying to be cool and I told him to just stop like you asked. But then he said. . . He didn't know if he'd be able to. And I told he had better for your sake. He said something had changed and that he couldn't. . . So I got angry. I mean, he has no right to string you along like this if he's got no intention of stopping his work as a death eater. He told me to mind my business but I told him that as long as I was your sister it would be my business. Then we shouted at each other until Kassia broke us up."

"And what happened today?" I asked.

"So deep in my day dreams but it's just a sweet, sweet fantasy baby!" Ginny sang.

"You can stop now," Harry said bringing her hands down.

"Tell me," I insisted.

"Today we didn't speak because I was still so angry over how he was treating you and then. . . I happened upon Myrtle's bathroom tonight and thought I heard crying inside, so I peeked in to see what was happening and there he was, crying his eyes out to Moaning Myrtle. . . I don't know why I shouted at him. I'm an idiot or something and then I blinked and we were in the middle of this huge duel. We were busting sinks and stalls and there was water everywhere and. . . I hit him and he went down," Harry said.

I groaned in frustration, pushing my hair back out of my face, fighting the urge to pull all of it out.

"This is too much stress for me to be dealing with the night before I got and take my teaching exam," I groaned.

"Sorry," Harry repeated.

"Stop being sorry. Stop being an idiot," I said. "What curse did you use?"

". . . It's called _sectumsempra_," he said.

"I've never heard of that," I said shaking my head.

"That's because he found it in the Half-Blood Prince's book," Hermione said.

"I told you to get rid of that," I said.

"We _all_ did," Ginny hissed.

"I didn't," Ron said.

"That's because you're an idiot too. And who's the bigger the idiot—the idiot or the idiot that listens to him?" I asked. "I think you're both stupid. And Draco too."

"How can you be angry with Draco when he's laid up in the hospital?" Ginny asked.

"Because even though Harry is the insensitive idiot that put him there what made Draco think it was okay to pull his wand on my brother?" I asked. I groaned. "I'm going to leave and deal with this tomorrow after I take my exam. Because if I continue talking to you Harry, I might possibly end up kicking you in the face."

"That's fair," he said.

"What about Draco?" Hermione asked.

I groaned. "For the next twelve hours he doesn't even exist or I might lose my mind."


	59. And Surprisingly Things DO Get Worse

_[A/N: I'm evil. Just so you know. I write these things to torture you.]_

"I thought today would be a happier day," I examining my shiny, new teachers license.

"It is a happy day," Veronica assured me.

"Sure," I said. "Of course it is. And I had planned on spending this evening celebrating you all and celebrating my wonderful achievement, but no. I have to go back to Hogwarts and annihilate Draco and Harry for being stupid."

"Cheer up," Tonks said.

We were at the Ministry of Magic in the atrium where I was preparing to floo back to Hogwarts.

"I can try," I said with a sigh.

"We'll celebrate when you stop back by with Dana for your 16-week check up!" Veronica said.

"I look forward to it. Perhaps the boys will be done being idiots by then," I said. "See you around."

I flooed to Hogwarts, ending up in McGonagall's office as always. It was very nearly three o'clock so I suspected she was still teaching. I decided that I may as well go see Draco now.

I made my way down the hospital wing where Draco was lying in his bed looking through a school book.

"Hey," I said approaching him.

"Hey," he said setting is aside and giving me a kiss when I reached him. "So, Hermione says you're here to scold me."

"Yep," I said. "You see, I can't wrap my brain around why you thought it was a good idea to attack my brother."

"He attacked me too. I mean-."

"No, I get it and Harry's on my shit list too for putting you in here but I know my brother and I know you. Harry would not attack you unless you had first," I said. "So why did you feel the need to draw your wand on my brother?"

"I was angry," he said.

"You don't attack someone when you're angry, Draco. I don't care how pissed off you were, you don't do that to my brother," I said.

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I've ruined things I screw everything up and I know you were happy Harry and I were getting along and I've ruined it."

"You shouldn't have been fighting in the first place," I said looking down at my feet. "Why would you tell Harry that. . . That you weren't sure you would be able stop?"

Draco sighed again. "Please don't be angry."

"I'm not angry. I'm scared," I said. "What did you mean when you told him things had changed and you couldn't stop?"

"It's just. . . Someone isn't pleased with my progress and is getting anxious," he said.

"So what?" I asked.

"I can't just blow it off Hannah. My family is at stake," he said. "I don't have a choice."

"You do have a choice. You always have a choice. You just keep making bad choices," I said. "I am so sick of watching you make stupid choices and I am so sick of having to suffer through them with you. You said that you don't want to do this. That you would give anything to get out of it. And above anything else that you didn't want to hurt me so why are you letting this hurt me?"

". . . Hannah. . . You know I have to do this," he said.

"Do what?" I asked.

"I can't tell you," he said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I don't want to lose you," he said.

"I've stuck by you through everything. Why would that change?" I asked.

"Because you can't begin to fathom what I have to do. It's so horrible that I'd lose you forever," he said.

"But don't you get it, Draco? You're already losing me," I said. "If you're going to go through with this horrible, awful thing that you've been told to do and if it's so awful that it's going to tear us apart then what the hell am I still doing with you? Why am I sitting around waiting for you to break my heart like that?"

"Don't talk like that," he said.

"Then trust me. Please, just tell-."

"I can't do that," he said.

I looked down at my feet again and shook my head. "I think. . . I think you just made the wrong choice." I took a deep breath and then, my insides knotting themselves up, took my engagement ring off and sat it on the table next to his bed. "I can't do this anymore."

"What do you mean you can't do this anymore?" he asked.

"I'm jumping through hoops trying to cover your ass because you said you would stop but you're not. You are driving me crazy and I can't do it anymore," I said. "Your priorities are there and I can see them but they're all screwed up. Voldemort is a higher priority in your life than me and I do not want to be second bananas to him. So when you get your life together and start worrying about me and this baby and start actually trusting some of the things that I say, we can rethink this whole relationship."

888

"You don't look too happy for someone who's got their teaching license," Hermione said at dinner that night.

I wasn't in a very good mood after having spoken to Draco that afternoon and I hadn't gotten around to telling anyone what was going on.

"Everything alright?" Ron asked.

I shrugged. "Not really."

"What happened when you talked with Draco?" Harry asked.

I sighed as I pushed my food around my plate. "He's an idiot right? So, I flipped on him. I gave him his engagement ring back and told him I couldn't do it anymore and now we're in this strange limbo of not quite together and not quite broken up."

"Gee. . . I'm sorry, sis," he said.

"I swear to God, Harry. Tell me you're sorry one more time and I'm going to shove my foot so far up your ass you'll be able to taste it in your throat," I said. "You're just as big of an idiot as he is. I don't know what the hell possessed you to use a curse you had never heard of whose effects you didn't know on your pregnant sister's fiancé, but whatever you were thinking it was pretty fucking stupid."

Harry shrank away from me as Ginny came and sat down at the table.

"Hey, Hannah, heard you got your license," she said. "Congrats."

"Thanks," I said.

"Ginny," Harry started. She shook her head at him, not bothering to make eye contact. Clearly he was getting on everyone's nerves. "Gin, come on."

"Come on what?" she asked.

"I'm just trying to gauge how long you actually plan to stay mad at me before you decide you want to talk," he said.

"As long as I want," she said. "How's that?"

"Will you not even hear me out?" he asked.

"No, I won't," she said. "You see, we all warned you not to mess around with that stupid book and you didn't listen to us. So I'm choosing not to listen to you."

"Ginny-."

"No, no, no. I can understand that you hurt Draco on accident and that I have to cover your ass again and play seeker in the final game because none of it would be happening if you had just listened to us—if you had listened to me when I told you how scared I was of you messing around with that thing," she said.

"Gin-."

"I've lost my appetite. I'm going to do homework," she said. She got up from the table and walked out of the hall. Harry followed after her.

"It's a bad day for love for the Potter twins," I said.

888

It'd been nearly three weeks since I'd slept in my own bed in Gryffindor. I missed it so much and despite the rough day I'd had I was sleeping rather peacefully until my pregnant balder kicked in. I woke feeling like I had already wet my pants. I was instantly angry. I had made a personal promise to myself that I would not be one of those pregnant women who could not hold their pee and I would not accept failure.

I climbed out of bed and walked through the dark of our room into the bathroom. I waited until I had closed the door to turn on the light and examined myself on the full length mirror that hung on the back of our door. I was horrified.

There was blood. It looked like someone had stabbed me.

There was no staying calm. There was only fear. My heart was pounding so loudly that I could hear it in my ears.

"Hermione!" I shouted as loud as I could muster as I started to cry. "Hermione! Hermione! Hermione!"

"What?" she asked, I could hear her approaching from the other side of the door. "You're waking the other girls." She pushed open the door and stopped dead in her tracks, suddenly very awake when she saw me. "Oh, Hannah. What's happened?"

"I don't know I just woke up and I was. . ."

"Let's get you to Madame Pomfrey," Hermione said wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

After wrapping a cloak around me, Hermione walked me down to the hospital wing. We banged on Madame Pomfrey's door.

"Oh, what is it?" she asked opening the door.

"I. . . I. . . I think I may've had a miscarriage," I said. I couldn't believe I was saying it. I couldn't believe this was happening to me.

"What's your healer's name?" she asked me as she slipped on some shoes.

"Dana. Dana Washington," I said.

"I'll go and alert St. Mungo's to summon her and-."

"There's nothing you can do for me here?" I asked.

"Potter this is a school. We are not equipped to deal with medical emergencies with regards to pregnancy. If you'll try to be calm I will go alert St. Mungo and you will be taken there. Understood?" she asked

I nodded and she walked back into her office.

"Hannah?" a groggy voice called out to me from across the room. I'd completely forgotten Draco was in here. "What's going on?"

I started crying again, sobbing into Hermione's shoulder.

"Hannah, what's happened?" he asked. I listened to him strain himself as he climbed out of bed and walked over to me. He took hold of my hand. "Talk to me."

I looked up at him though I could barely see through all of the tears.

"It's the baby," I said.

Before I could explain further, Madame Pomfrey walked out of her office.

"Mister Malfoy what are you doing out of bed?" she asked.

"With all due respect I'm not getting back into that bed until I know she's okay," Draco said.

"But Draco, you're hurt. You can barely stand," I said.

"I can stand just fine," he insisted, though obviously lying.

"Oh, fine Mister Malfoy," she hissed. "Come along."

"I'll talk to Professor McGonagall and Harry for you," Hermione said giving me a reassuring nod and then hugging me. "It'll be okay. I promise."

888

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Do you hear that?" Dana asked as we sat inside of her office at St. Mungo's. "That is your baby's heart beat. Your baby is fine. It's a good strong heart beat and everything looks perfect."

"Then what's with all the blood?" I asked.

"From what I'm looking at here it's just a blood clot. Your body was getting rid of it. That's what happens. You'll bleed for a little while longer but everything is okay. Blood clots happens sometimes. It appears to have been a rather large one so I am going to instruct you to sit on your ass at all time unless absolutely necessary but other than that you are perfectly fine."

I don't think I'd ever been so relieved in my life.

"I'm going to send Draco in here with you and I'll be right back okay?" she asked.

I nodded and she left the room. The door hadn't even closed behind her when Draco walked in a bundle of pajamas tucked under his arm.

"Tonks and Sirius are here. Tonks thought you might want some spare clothes to change into," he said.

"Thanks," I said.

"So. . . The baby," he started hesitantly.

"Fine. Everything is fine. Dana said it was blood clot or something," I said.

Draco sighed with relief, wincing at the pain it caused him. "Good." He held my hand again, running his fingers over the spot my engagement ring used to be. "You're right you know? About my priorities being screwed up."

"They're not that screwed up. You're here after all, despite a serious injury," I said. "Maybe. . . I think sometimes that the universe just likes to screw up our relationship and make bad things happen to us."

"No," he replied. "The universe isn't at fault here. Bad things happen to us because I'm an idiot, Hannah." I managed a smile. "I don't want us to break up but you are right about me needing to get my life together. So I'm proposing that we break off the engagement all together until after this stupid war is over and my life and your life becomes significantly less complicated. By then I think I'll have had enough time to grow up and learn to prioritize properly."

I squeezed his hand tightly. "Do you know how long that could be?"

"Of course I do. But I'm willing to wait if you are," he said.

Dana walked back into the room, a tote with bandages under her arms.

"What are those for?" I asked.

"For your baby's daddy. I can already see you starting to bleed through those," she said. "Shirt off. Let me patch you up."

Draco did as instructed and Dana started to peel off his old one.

"Goodness. . . Harry did this?" she asked looking at his wound. This was the first time I'd seen it as well. It was a long deep cut going down his chest from his shoulder to his waist.

"It's extraordinary, from a medical standpoint I mean. I've never seen an injury like this," she said. "Hasn't Madame Pomfrey tried-."

"All the healing spells and potions she could think off. Snape says that it was a curse so it'll probably have to heal all on its own, however long that takes," he said.

"Wow," Dana said. "Remind me not to piss off Harry Potter anytime soon."

"I reckon Harry will probably never use that curse again," I said.

Dana nodded and went to working dressing Draco's wounds.

"Oh, so I was looking at your baby and while everything is perfectly perfect and healthy they baby is a bit big to be 14 weeks," she said.

"Is that bad?" I asked.

"Nope, perfectly fine," she said. "But it allowed me to determine the gender which is something I usually can't do until at least 16 weeks, but I can tell you if you'd like."

I looked over to Draco who was nodding.

"Yeah, definitely, tell us," I said.

Dana finished applying Draco's bandages and smiled.

"It's a girl," she said. "You're having a little girl."


	60. Chasing the Dragon

_[A/N: I SAW DEATHLY HALLOWS! IT WAS AMAZING SUPER SPECIAL AWESOMESAUCE! If you haven't seen it then your life is not going to be complete. I've seen it twice already. It was spot on. But, here's my less exciting update.]_

_[A/N II: But alas, bad news, there won't be too many chapters of this series left. Yes, frowny face. Less than ten.]_

When I got back to Hogwarts the very next day, I left Draco in the hospital wing so he could finish his recovery and made my way back up to the Gryffindor Common Room. As soon as I opened the door a chorus of people called out and me swarmed me—my roommates and my best friends.

"Are you okay? We woke up after you left and Hermione told us everything and we were so scared and-." Kaitlin started.

"Hush up, you," I said. "I'm fine. Everything's fine."

"Good," Harry said hugging me gently. "Then what happened last night?"

"Blood clot. Apparently they happen to dozens of girls all of the time. So, no worries," I said.

They were all still going to worry, I knew them all well enough to know that. Hopefully they'd give me some space though.

"Oh, all of your Slytherin friends are worried about you too," Parvati said.

"Yeah, they went looking for Draco this morning and we told them where you were," Emily said.

"Oh, that's fine. I'll just go and find them then," I said.

"We'll go with you," Ron said.

"Yeah," Hermione said.

"Um. . . Okay," I said confused by their eagerness. They were up to something.

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked me out of the common room and started with me downstairs.

"So, did you and Draco sort things out last night?" Ron asked.

"Ah, that's what this is about," I said knowingly.

"Well you were practically broken up yesterday we just had to check up on you guys," Harry said.

"If you must know, we're still together but the engagement is off. It's over," I said.

"And what about the whole Voldemort factor?" Hermione asked.

I hung my head down. "Let's just say even though we're still together everything is still on really thin-ice."

Harry patted my back comfortingly. "I'm sure everything will work out like it's supposed to when everything is over."

"Even if that's without Draco?" I asked.

Harry sighed. "Wasn't it you last year who said that just because you love something doesn't mean it's good for you?"

"Like opium or something," Ron said. "Really your relationship with Draco is kind of chasing the dragon."

We all paused and turn to stare at Ron, once again, confused by some of the nonsense that came out of his mouth.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of chasing the dragon before," he said.

"No, enlighten me," Hermione said.

"Well essentially it's like when you do opium for the first time and it's the most amazing high you've ever had and then you come down from it and you're quite sad about it. So, you go and by more opium to get that high again, but you've built a tolerance to it so you have to go buy even more opium to get higher but still you cannot achieve this same level of highness. So you go buy more and more and more until you're addicted and you're selling off all your possessions so you'll have enough money to have more opium to get back to that high and it doesn't stop. You're chasing the dragon," Ron said.

Silence. We all stared at Ron, jaws dropped and unsure of what to say or feel or how to react.

". . . I don't know if that was brilliant or. . . I don't know," Hermione said shaking her head.

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

"Nearly 11," Ron said.

"Then I guess I've got to run," he said.

"Where?" I asked.

"The first detention of the rest of my life with Snape and Filch," he replied. "Tell me how things go with Kassia and the others."

"Bye," I said.

Harry dashed off away from as we continued downstairs.

"So, what if things with you and Malfoy don't work out?" Ron asked.

I shrugged. "I'll probably murder Fleur and then seduce Bill while he's grieving."

"Masterful," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "But, seriously, Hannah, since this is a very real possibility now. . . What if he really does muck everything up and go to work for Voldemort?"

"Say 'fuck you' and try to move on with my life," I said nonchalantly.

"Be serious," Ron insisted.

"I am being serious. What can I possibly do if he wants to throw his life away like that? I can only try so hard to help him. At some point he's going to have to help himself if he's really serious about us," I said.

"But what about the baby?" Hermione asked.

I groaned. "For five second, Hermione, put yourself in my shoes—if Draco turns out to be nothing but an evil Slytherin asshole just like you all said at the beginning am I going to want him to be around the baby? I don't think so. I care about Draco more than I ever thought I was capable of caring about someone and at the moment he is the center of my entire universe and if. . ."

"And if what?" Hermione asked. "You act like if things go awry you're just going to be able to let it go."

"Of course I won't be able to just let it go!" I practically screamed at her. Ron placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, urging me to calm down. I took a deep breath and tried to relax. "I will not just feel be able to turn off everything I've ever felt for him like it never happened. I don't want Draco to be a death eater. I don't want him to throw away everything, but having to wake up every morning and hear news like he has to work faster or that he and Harry are fighting again, my faith in the situation is diminishing rapidly and I have to start putting the walls up so I don't fall to pieces if things do go to shit."

"Expect the worst and hope for the best, right?" Ron said reassuringly.

"Except I seem to always get the worst," I said.

888

Late that afternoon, I made my way the hospital wing alone to check up on Draco like the good girlfriend I was. After my conversation with Ron and Hermione I was in a slightly bad mood, mulling over all of the horrible what-ifs of my life with—or without Draco.

When I reached the doors, I saw that he was sleeping and standing next to his bed looking through all of his get well cards was none other than his mother, Narcissa Malfoy.

I debated on leaving for a moment but something pushed me into the hospital wing and over to her.

"Mrs. Malfoy," I said, hardly believing the words were coming out of my mouth at all. After our last encounter I barely wanted to look at her, let alone speak to her.

"Potter," she hissed at me.

". . . Has he been up at all since you've been here?" I asked her curiously. She leered at me for a moment before shaking her head no. "He should be up soon. He was just awake all evening at St. Mungo's with me."

"He was admitted to St. Mungo's and no one consulted me?" she asked.

"No, no, no," I said. "I was admitted. There was a little scare with the baby last night but I'm fine and so is the baby." Narcissa nodded. I really didn't like her. I liked her better when she was just being cold and indifferent to me, but that was before I was dating her son, before Voldemort returned, before our lives were so closely intertwined.

"He misses you," I told her. She shifted her glance to me before returning it to her son. "Tonks and Lupin have been taking care of him just fine since you tossed him out but he doesn't really want them taking care of him. He wants his mum. He wants you. He hates that you haven't been in touch or anything like that. And I hate it too to be honest."

"Do you?" she asked.

"I do. I don't like you much and you don't like me much either but we both love Draco more than anything and we both want him to be happy. And really, Narcissa, I'd probably kind of hate it if our kid had to grow up being indifferent towards your existence just because you're never around because I know somewhere inside not too deep down part of you actually loves this baby just because it's Draco's."

Narcissa said nothing but continued to look over her son.

". . . It's a girl," I said. She looked over to me. "The baby is, I mean, she's a girl. Draco wants to name her Demeter or something which I was fine with but I'm slowly falling out of love with the name."

"Lovely," she replied.

I suspected that that was the closest I was ever going to get to a compliment from Narcissa.

". . . I think you should let Draco come back home and that you should just go back to insulting me whilst pretending I don't exist," I said. "I think Draco would like that, I mean, I think he'd like it if we actually got along, but I'm sure we'd just get points for trying. . . What I mean to say is that. . . I really think Draco would be better off if you were a part of his life again."

She looked over at me and stared. She grasped my hand and looked at my now ringless hand.

"Plan on leaving him then?" she asked.

"No, never," I said. "It's just. . . I think we've both realized a little too late that we need to grow up a little bit before we get married."

"Too late indeed," she said with a sigh. "Please inform your would be parents to return Draco's things to his home where they belong as soon as possible."

I nodded. "Will do, and I'm sure you'd like me to let Draco know as well then so there are no surprises come June."

"Right," she said. "Goodbye, Potter."

"Bye," I said.

Narcissa walked out of the hospital wing and was gone. I let out a deep breath. It sucked swallowing my pride, especially for Narcissa Malfoy. Next thing you know, I was going to be nice to Pansy for no other reason than the fact that the sun was shining outside.

I felt Draco grab hold of my hand. I looked over at him. He was smiling at me.

"Thanks," he muttered. I smiled back at him.

"No problem. I'm just tired of seeing you all sad over your mum," I said. "Besides, if I had to think up another person who didn't want you to be a death eater as much as me, I'd definitely pick her, hands down. She may make me want to kick puppies but she loves you. We have that in common. I guess I should just-."

Draco shushed me. "I got it. . . Thank you. . . What time is it?"

"Nearly five. Why?" I asked.

"When you're doing nothing but sleeping you tend to lose track of time," he said. I nodded in agreement. "Madame Pomfrey says I should be fine to go back to class on Monday. 

"And by go to class you mean. . ."

"Go to class. Do my studies. Finish my course work," he said. "You know, the actual meaning of go to class."

I looked down at my feet. "And you'll go to class Monday. You'll probably go the whole week. . . But you'll just be at it again after that won't you?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't really know anymore, Hannah."

"And what do you know about us?" I asked.

"I think-."

"No," I said looking up at him. "I don't want to know what you _think_ or what you predict may happen to us. I want you to tell me what you _know_ is going to happen to us."

"What I know. . ." He looked away from and went deep into thought. "I know that when it's all over we'll be together. No matter what happens."

I shook my head. "Unless you do actually kill someone, Draco." He looked back over to me, his eyes wide. I chuckled as a thought popped into my head. "You always think your love is unconditional until something like this happens, yeah? And then it's not that you stop loving them you just don't want to love them anymore because they went and fucked up so badly."

Draco nodded."Don't think I'll be doing that then."

"Then what _are_ you doing aside from driving me bonkers?" I asked.

Draco shook his head. "I'll let you know when I figure it out."


	61. Professor Potter

"I thought you planned on teaching potions," Snape pointed out to me. It was Monday. My duties as a student teacher were over. I was legit now. Or, I would be when I was 17 and legally able to teach when my license actually went into effect.

All the same, splitting my time between fifth year potions and DADA was over. I was a free agent. I could sit in and help any class that would have me.

This essentially meant that for the rest of the year I was going to annoy either Snape or Slughorn for a whole day.

Mostly I thought my life had been turning to shit, especially with the baby and with Harry and Draco, once again, trying to kill each other. But this new turn of events had given me a happier outlook on life. Things weren't going exactly as I planned, but I only had a short time left at Hogwarts before I went onto be a mommy full time and when that happened all the fun things I things I used to as Hannah would stop and I'd have to start being responsible.

Today I could tell responsibility to sod off and I could fake it by spending time with the man who taught me everything.

"I do want to teach potions, Snape-a-doodle," I said. He groaned. The teaching license had opened another fun door for me—I no longer had to refer to anyone in the school as Professor as I was now (almost) on their level. Mostly I referred to everyone by their last name. There was no reason for me to call Trelawney Sibyll after all. However there were a few teachers, like Snape and McGonagall, who'd taken special care of me as a child, and for the six years of hellish schoolwork they put me through, the some of the very humiliating childhood nicknames I called them by came spilling out of me life word vomit, except it was very much on purpose.

"Potions is my first love, it's my passion, a passion you so wonderfully instilled in me as a child and I've got my whole life to practice that passion. But you know what I get to do today, Snape-a-Doodle?" I asked.

"Annoy me?" he asked.

"Yes. I get to annoy you. Today I get to be nine-years-old and annoying one last time, because the ministry, how ever annoying they may be, has told me that I can," I said with a proud nod. Snape shook his head in pity as my sixth year counter parts walked into the room.

I was sitting in Snape's desk and had refused to move since I'd joined him.

"Look at you, Professor Potter," Kaitlin said shooting me a wink as she sat down.

"You're lucky you don't have to wear a uniform every day and," Ron said tugging at his collar. "These things are bloody uncomfortable."

"Quiet, everyone, take your seats," Snape said. "Let's not make a spectacle of Miss Potter-."

"That's _Professor_ Potter now, Sir," Kaitlin said, winking at me again.

Snape groaned again.

"Can you give house points on the basis of what you perceive to be awesomeness?" I asked. Snape turned around to me and stared for a moment. "McGonagall gave me house points for dumb luck in first year. I think awesomeness is actually a more valid reason to award house points."

"Fine, Potter," Snape said grudgingly.

"Cool. Five points for Kaitlin for being awesome," I said. "AND just so I'm not being biased, five points for Pansy who hasn't said anything to me pretty much all year which is also awesome."

She rolled her eyes, clearly uninterested in my free house points.

"If you're done making a spectacle of yourself, we might be able to do some actual teaching," Snape said.

"Oh, yes, sorry. Open your books to chapter 14. Today we'll be learning about the undead. For extra credit from me you can half a roll of parchment on where you stand in the zombies versus unicorn debate," I said. "Then, for my amusement, you can tell where you stand in the ninjas versus pirates debate."

"Pirates," Ron whispered to Kaitlin.

"Ninjas," she whispered.

"Pirates," Ron retorted.

"Remember Weasley, the field mouse is fast, but the owl sees at night," Kaitlin said, following it with a hiss.

". . . You worry me sometimes, you know that Katie?" I asked confusedly.

"Quiet or it'll cost you both house points," Snape said.

"Don't mind him," I said. "He's only cranky because I can annoy him now but I have no house points to be taken anymore. But don't worry, by the day's end I'll stop abusing my power and start acting professionally which he knows. He just isn't sure how he's going to make it through the next 24 hours without committing murder."

Snape ignored me and went on to teaching. I tried really hard to pay attention to what Snape was saying but my eyes kept looking back at Draco was switching off between taking notes, looking to Snape, or smiling at me. He had such a lovely smile. It was so genuine, especially when compared to the sneers and smirks he usually gave out to the average passerby (or unfortunate Hufflepuff first year).

We'd hit a rough patch in our relationship obviously, but I was delighted that he was still making cutesy eyes at me from across the room. I forgot that he was a bit of an idiot sometimes and that he was an active death eater.

"Potter!" Snape shouted suddenly. I looked away from Draco only to realize he had been talking Harry who had been having a side conversation with Ron.

". . . Yes?" Harry asked, sounding prepared to be an ass.

"What is the difference between and inferi and a ghost?" Snape asked.

This question was so easy a second year could answer it.

"Well, you know," Harry said. "Ghost are like, see through, and inferi are all solid and stuff."

"Oh," I groaned aloud without meaning to. Everyone looked to me. "Sorry, Harry, but that answer was so bad I think you may've just given me cancer."

Everyone snickered.

"And the correct answer," Snape said.

"Ghosts are imprints of souls left behind on earth in visible, but intangible forms," I said. "Inferi, are corpses reanimated through dark mark magic and they acts as puppet for whoever has reanimated him. And for bonus points, can someone who is not Hermione tell me what kind of dark magic is used to reanimate a corpse?"

Kassia raised her hand and I called on her.

"Necromancy," she said.

"And five points to Slytherin," I said.

Snape looked back at me, seeming astonished from my switch from annoying child to almost competent teacher.

"Sure, that's all well and good, but if I'm trapped in an alley with an inferi I'm not going to be thinking about how it's all reanimated and what not. I'm going to be thinking I need to get the heck out of there," Ron said. "Harry's answer is way more useful."

"Oh, Ron," Hermione and I both sighed in unison.

"I'm glad you have such thoughtful insight into this, Weasley. Perhaps you can contemplate more answers to this debacle while you're scrubbing out bed pans in the hospital wing tonight," Snape said.

888

That night, I found myself back in my room reading over the dozens of baby books given to me by my concerned godfather and baby daddy. They were both assholes, there was no denying that, but they were nice assholes.

There was a knock on the door and Harry leaned in.

"Hello, sister," he said. "How're you?"

"Fine. And you?" I asked.

"Oh, alright. I was just going to pop 'round and see Ginny while Ron was in detention. It significantly lowers our chances of being harassed by him when he isn't around," Harry said.

"This is one of those rare moments where I can tell we're twins, Harry. All those times I waited for you to go to Quidditch practice and whatnot so I go see Draco without being bothered by you it just. . . It seems so genetic now," I said.

Harry chuckled. "Funny you should mention Draco."

"Are you going to tell me to break up with him now?" I asked.

"He is a death eater," Harry said.

"I know," I said.

"Have you realized how likely it is that he'll follow through on whatever he's meant to do?" he asked.

"Of course I have," I said. "And he's so distant about it all. He just keeps saying that he doesn't know which worries me because that means he's actually considering it. And I've told Dumbledore about it obviously but he hasn't told me anything other than to just keep a close watch on him. I don't know what to do really."

"I don't think anyone will know what to do until Draco makes a decision," Harry said.

I nodded in agreement. Harry was right of course. This was all on Draco.

"And if he does make the wrong decision?" Harry asked.

I smiled at Harry. "I'll still have you won't I?"

Harry laughed and took me into a hug. "I love you, sis."

"Yeah, I know. I love you too, bro," I said.

"But seriously, you know I love you right? More than any other person on this whole entire planet and every time I have to see you get hurt my heart breaks a little. But if you do get hurt I want you to know I'm always here for you," he said.

I nodded. "You'll always be the first person I run to. Before Draco, before Dumbledore, before anyone."

"Glad to hear it," he said letting me go. "So about this kid of yours, I heard we can stop using gender neutral pronouns."

I laughed. "Girl."

"Oh, a niece, Hannah?" Harry asked.

"It's not my fault. It's the Y chromosome. It's all on Draco," I said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, at least she'll have Kassia and Ron to look after her when your back is turned. She'll be great at being an asshole to everyone Ron doesn't like."

I laughed. Harry was a certifiable dork sandwich—my dork sandwich. My brother.

888

"Dumbledore seem a bit odd to you?" Kassia asked me. We were sitting in her bedroom the next evening, hanging out like we always did.

"Dumbledore and oddity go hand in hand, Kassie. You should know that already," I said.

"Of course I do," she chuckled. "But he called me into his office today and was unusually odd."

"How so?" I asked her.

Suddenly she didn't seem amused and looked more worried.

"Kassie?" I asked.

". . . I think Dumbledore might know that Draco's a death eater already," she said.

_*Oh, but he does.*_

"Which is completely mental of course but the way he was talking to me it was like. . . Somehow he already knew Draco was up to no good," Kassia said.

"What did he say to you exactly?" I asked.

"Something about keeping an eye on Draco if you ever weren't able to and to trust him no matter how stupid he is," she explained. She shook her head. "Bit cryptic don't you think?"

"Yeah," I agreed.

"You don't think Dumbledore knows does he?" Kassia asked.

I faked a laughed. "Yes because Dumbledore would allow me to date a death eater."

"But Dumbledore knows a lot of stuff we don't, doesn't he? What if he knows Draco is a death eater and he just isn't saying anything? Would he do something like that? _Why_ would he do something like that?" Kassia asked.

I shrugged.

"Hannah, you want Draco to tell Dumbledore the truth don't you?" she asked. I nodded. "What do you think will happen if he does tell him?"

"If Draco really wants out and he's really not evil Dumbledore wouldn't do anything to hurt him or get him into trouble," I said.

"If you're so sure, why don't you just tell Dumbledore yourself then?" she asked.

"It's not that simple, Kass," I said.

"Why not? He wants out. You want him out. Then just do it," she said. "Draco's my friend too. If you can help him then why don't you?"

"Because it's easy. It's so easy for him to get out of it but he won't do it. Why the hell won't he do it himself if it's so easy?" I asked.

"Because he doesn't think it is," Kassia said.

"And he expects me to trust him when he doesn't seem to trust a thing that I say. That's fair," I said, grumpily. "As if I would ever do anything to get him into trouble."

"Barring getting knocked up of course," Kassia said.

"Obviously," I said. I laid back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. Obviously, Dumbledore already knew about Draco being a death eater and for whatever reason, Dumbledore really wanted Draco to just come clean about it himself.

I worried about Draco, and rightly so.

Kassia laid down next to me and stared up at the ceiling with me.

"What do you think is going to happen?" she asked.

"A whole lot of shit," I replied. "Whether on my part or his. It doesn't matter. One of us is going to screw it all up. Everything is so unpredictable."

"Things are hard now but at the end of it all things will work out like they're supposed to," Kassia said. "And once Harry gets that memory from Slughorn you'll know what Voldemort has been up to and then things will get easier on that front as well."

I scooted over and rested my head on her shoulder.

"I don't think that. . ." Kassia started and then passed. She had been trying to reassure me a moment ago and now she sounded worried.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I don't think it's just Draco that we need to be worried about," she said.

"Who else?" I asked.

"Crabbe and Goyle are in on whatever he's doing," she said.

"I know that, but they're harmless, yeah?" I said.

"Yes but, I think Kristen and Pansy and. . . And Blaise. I think they all may be in on it too," she said.

"That's crazy. What would they be in on it for?" I asked.

"To help him. To stop him. I don't know but. . . There's someone else," she said.

"Who?" I asked.

". . . I don't know if. . . I don't know if he's really on our side," she said.

"Who?" I asked her again.

"It. . . It doesn't matter," Kassia said. "If Draco just stops it won't matter."


	62. Pansy's Friendly Advice

_[A/N: This chapter is for the newlywed NICLOE! *throws confetti*]_

"I dunno, Hannah. She could be talking about anyone," Draco said. I'd confronted him about what Kassia had told me yesterday.

"Who exactly knows you're a death eater, Draco?" I asked.

"You, Kassia, Harry, Ron and Hermione," he said.

"And?" I urged him on.

He sighed. "Pansy, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, and Kristen."

"And why do they know?" I asked.

Draco shrugged. "Why do _your_ friends know?"

"Because, until this whole mess escalated out of control they were your friends too and they trusted you," I said.

"Well the others know because they're my friends and they know better about what's going than your do," he said. "All you have been on the opposite side and you're so sure that everything is going to work out alright because they're supposed to. But the others. . . Their parents are death eaters, same as mine, and they know all about things not going right."

"No. I don't understand about any of that stuff. I mean it's not as if my parents weren't murdered as a child and it's not as if I can actually leave Hogwarts without someone trying to kidnap me or hurt someone I care about. Everything in my life is just peachy keen isn't it Draco? Everything always goes right doesn't it?" I asked.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said. "I didn't choose to be born into a family that was fighting on the wrong side and I didn't choose to end up in the situation I'm in, and they didn't either. It's, in a way, easier for you, because you know that no matter what you do you've always got someone to keep you safe and you know exactly who you can and cannot trust. If other people knew what I was I'd. . . I'd be in a really bad situation wouldn't I?"

"Alright. . . And aside from them, who else knows?" I asked.

"No one," he said.

I frowned. "You're lying to me."

"You lie to me all the time," he said.

"Only because-."

"You can't tell me. What's with the double standard? You can keep things from me but I can't from you?" he asked.

"I'd keep in mind that _I'm_ not keeping things from you that involve potentially murdering someone," I said. "It's not exactly the same."

"Use whatever excuse you like—it's still a double standard," he said rolling his eyes.

I crossed my arms and reclined back against one of the post of his bed.

"I hate the name Demeter," I said.

"What?" he asked.

"I said I hate that name and I am completely against naming our daughter that," I said.

"Fine, we'll name her something else then," Draco said, rolling his eyes again.

"What are you all irritated for?" I asked.

"You just came in here and attacked. What are _you_ irritated for?" he retorted. Before I could answer, someone knocked on his door. "Come in."

The door was opened by Pansy.

"Interuptting?" she asked.

"You're more than welcome to," I replied.

"Well you're in a right state aren't you?" she asked.

"And for once you aren't the cause. Pat yourself on the back," I said.

"What did you want, Pansy?" Draco asked.

"Sorry to tear you away from your girlfriend but Professor Snape wants to see you," she said.

Draco looked over to me.

"I'll talk to you later then," I said.

"Maybe then you'll have stopped being so passive aggressive," he said.

"Only if you've stopped being an idiot," I replied.

He brushed me off and walked out of the room.

"That was intense," Pansy said. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Why don't you just go away? I liked it better when we weren't speaking," I said.

Pansy scoffed. "You know it's okay to break up with him you know?"

"What?" I asked. What a stupid remark.

"You heard me. You can break up with him. No one would blame you. I certainly wouldn't stay with him," Pansy said. "Contrary to all that time I spent pining over him I happen to realize what deep shit he's in right now and really, Potter, I'd think _you _were smart enough to know when even you need to call it quits."

"That's a nasty way to give a compliment," I said. "Besides, I thought you were in on Draco's whole ordeal."

"Of course I am," she replied. "So I know exactly how much of an idiot he's being don't you see? I know I may come off as cold and heartless and all around evil but you should know that attitude is one I specifically reserve for you, your friends, everyone in Hufflepuff, and anyone under the age of 14. But Draco's my friend and I'd rather not see him get hurt."

"But you think he's going to?" I asked.

Pansy scoffed again and smirked slightly. "I _know_ he's going to. You hope against hope that he'll change his ways and come around to you. He will because he loves you, but it'll be too late. Even if he doesn't do it. . . It's still going to happen and he's going to break your heart and he's going to leave you alone. . . And you'll hate him and he'll hate himself and there'll be nothing anyone can do about it."

"What is supposed to happen, Pansy? You have to tell me, please," I said.

She shook her head. "I'm sure you know what _he_ would do to me if I said something."

". . . Voldemort you mean," I said. Pansy winked at me.

"But seriously, Draco is an idiot. He's going to mess up. He might not ruin his life but he's definitely going to ruin you. Get out while you can," she said.

"Pansy said that?" Harry asked.

"_Pansy_ said that," I reiterated.

"That's so. . . Not something she would do," Hermione said.

"I know and I know she didn't say it to mess with me. If she's really in on what Draco's up to and she knows more than I do, which she obviously does she could really be trying to warn me and at the same time get some sadistic satisfaction out of my anguish at the same time," I said.

"That sounds like Pansy," Ron said.

"So are you going to do it then?" Harry asked.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Break up with Malfoy?" he asked.

_*Fantastic. He's back to calling him Malfoy now.*_

_-One step forward and two steps back.-_

"No," I said. "Don't be daft."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Let's not talk about it for now, shall we? I'd very much like to pretend that this problem isn't actually there," I said.

"Alright, that's fine. Harry's got some news for you anyway," Hermione said nudging him.

"Oh, right. I've figured out a way to get Slughorn's memory," he said.

"Have you really?" I asked. He nodded.

Harry went onto his pocket and pulled out his vial of Felix Felicis. "I should've thought of this AGES ago, but-."

"You suck at life," I said.

Harry frowned at me. "You are very unkind. I suppose you're going to laugh when you read this letter from Hagrid as well."

Ron handed me a tear stained letter which contained the best news I had heard all year.

"Aragog, the in spider incarnate of Satan is dead?" I cheered.

"You and Ron are horrible," Hermione said.

"You weren't there, Hermione. You don't know," Ron said, sternly. She rolled her eyes.

"You two can drink and be merry over the death of Hagrid's best friend, and later on when you die I want you to think good, long and hard over why your souls were damned to hell," Hermione said.

I stuck my tongue out at her.

Harry opened the lid of his Felix Felicis.

"You're going after Slughorn now?" I asked. Harry nodded. "Shouldn't you wait for the opportune moment?"

"We'll we've already worked out a plan," Hermione said.

"Yeppers," Harry said taking a sip of his potion.

"Well?" Ron asked. "How do you feel?"

Harry smiled widely and jumped up from the couch.

"Fantastic! I feel so alive!" he cheered. "Let's get to it then. I'm going to Hagrids."

"What? That's not a part of the plan!" Hermione said. "You're going to screw it all up!"

Harry scoffed. "Hermione, how often do my plans result in failure?"

"Every. Single. Time," she said.

"Exactly," Harry said, "so by that logic, my plans should go right at least ONCE in my life."

"That makes sense," Ron said in agreement.

"That makes _no_ sense whatsoever," Hermione said.

Harry scoffed. "We'll so who's right later, Granger. Just you wait. . . Deuces. I'm out home skillet."

Harry walked out of the common room and the rest of us were left sitting there staring at each other.

"So, we're sure that was Felix Felicis and not like, crack or something right?" Ron asked.

"I'm not even sure anymore," I said. "I just hope it all works out."

"Me too," Hermione said. "Your brother gives me a headache. And so do you Ron. And Hannah, you do too but not at the moment apparently."

"Sometimes I give myself a headache," I said. "You think Harry knows what he's doing?"

"Nope," she replied.

"I wonder what it would be like to do opium, you know? Like, is it really so amazing that you would give up all your worldly possessions to get high—to chase the dragon? It practically crippled all of China and Japan when it took hold of them and I've read somewhere that opium dens still exist there and even in some parts of the western United States. And then of course it begat other drugs like heroin and morphine. And then if you consider-."

"I'm sorry, dear, can I ask you something?" Hermione asked.

"Of course," he said with a smile.

"Why do you know so much about opium and other drugs?" she asked.

Ron shrugged. "Hobby I guess."

"Gathering knowledge on the origin, spread, and effects of opium is a hobby?" I asked.

"Yeah. Is that weird?" Ron asked.

"Yes, it's very weird," Hermione said. "It concerns me."


	63. Horcrux, Making Out, & Accidental Arson

_[A/N: Sorry my updates are taking so long these days. I'm a working girl now (and hopefully I'll continue to be) so and that takes away time from me writing. This is the first update of 2011! Celebrate! Rejoice!]_

_[A/N II: Read "Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins. It's amazing. And funny. And her husband plays music about Harry Potter. I met him once. He's awesome. Like his wife. And her book. Read it!]_

"So, let me get this straight—we have to kill six other Voldemorts before we kill the actual one?" I asked Dumbledore. Somehow, someway, Harry had managed to get the memory and after viewing this memory we learned about Horcruxes.

"No. Four remain. We have already dealt with two," Dumbledore said.

"Tom Riddle's Diary and Gaunt's ring, right?" I asked. Dumbledore nodded.

"Great. So that's four," Harry said.

"What do we even look for?" I asked. "I feel like finding them will be akin to walking around in the dark with your eyes closed trying to find a needle in a haystack."

"Essentially," Dumbledore said.

"You are _so_ encouraging," I said rolling my eyes. He smiled at me.

"I think I've already found one more so that leaves us down to deduce what the other four might be," he said.

"You two can deduce. I'm no good at deducing," I said.

"You're quite the downer today," Harry said. I shrugged. I did not care. "Well, Professor, I have an idea of one."

"Yes?" Dumbledore asked.

"Do you remember the memory we saw about him taking Hufflepuff's cup? I'll be that was one," Harry said.

"I think so too," Dumbledore said. "That leaves three. Hannah would you like to guess?"

I sighed. "Um. . . Well, he loved Hogwarts, didn't he? So maybe something from here? Like, he has Hufflepuff's cup so maybe another artifact from one of the other founders like Gryffindor or Ravenclaw? More than likely Ravenclaw because as I recall the only known artifact left behind from Gryffindor was the sword. . . But Ravenclaw hasn't left behind much of anything either."

"Again, I also agree," Dumbledore said. "And the last one?"

"Search me," I said.

"Go take a nap, Miss-I'm-Going-To-Be-Grumpy," Harry said.

"Well, have you got an idea?" I asked. Harry shook his head.

"I believe the last horcrux is his snake, Nagini," Dumbledore said.

"That would make sense because he keeps her so close and Voldemort doesn't really strike me as the animal loving type," Harry said.

"Yeah, especially after first year with the unicorns," I said. Then I had a funny thought and giggled. "Oi, if you are what you eat does that make Voldemort a unicorn?"

Harry smiled but shook his head. "So, professor, you say you may've located another one of these horcuxes?"

"Yes. I'm not quite sure of it just yet but I will know soon," Dumbledore said with a nod. "When I do locate it I'd like for you to join me Harry."

"Really?" Harry asked. I could see the light in his eyes. He could say he wasn't a trouble maker but I knew better. The idea of the danger, the thrill of the adventure, those were two of Harry's favorite things. "What about Hannah?"

"Hannah gets to sit at school and be pregnant as punishment for not being able to keep it in her pants, right?" I asked.

"I wouldn't put it quite so boldly," Dumbledore said. I shrugged.

"I call 'em like I see em," I said.

888

"Wow, Harry, you really suck at this," Neville said as we watched Harry and Ron playing wizard's chess in the common room.

"Would you like to play, Neville?" Harry asked, visible annoyed.

"No thanks. I've only got a little bit of dignity left. I'm not turning it over to Ron in a chess game," he replied.

I laughed.

"Smart move, Neville. Wish I could say the same for you, Harry. That's check mate," Ron said.

Harry frowned. "Damn."

"Honestly, out of Transfigurations, I can't really make heads or tails of any of these classes," a Slytherin girl said as she walked into the common room with Ginny. "And there are so many distractions here."

"To be honest, Bree, I think you make distractions for yourself, and yes, I am citing that little Hufflepuff girl you kicked as an example," Ginny replied. She reached our table and gave Harry a kiss.

"Please don't snog him in front of me. That's all that I ask," Ron said.

"Stop your whining or I'll do it again," Ginny said. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Who's your friend?" I inquired.

"I'm Bree. New student obviously. I've been here since school got back from the Easter Holidays," she introduced herself.

"Really? You've been here that long?" I asked.

"Nice to finally meet you, Hannah. It seems like you've quit completely on visiting in on fifth year classes, on the flip side I've met your boyfriend dozens of times," she said.

"I suppose that would happen being in Slytherin and all," I said.

"Even I've met Bree a few times and no one talks to me," Neville said.

"I talk to you, Neville. It doesn't matter who else talks to you," I said.

"Sometimes I forget how conceited you are and then you say things like that and it all comes flooding back to me," Ginny said.

"I can't let you forget," I said giving her a wink.

Ginny rolled her eyes at me. "If you weren't pregnant I'd kick you."

"You and about fifty other people including, but not limited to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Kassia," I said.

"Right then. . . Anyway, Longbottom, I've got a ton of herbology homework and OWLs are in a few weeks so let's get to it my dearest tutor," Bree said.

Neville groaned. "You're not that terrible at herbology, Bree."

"I know, but you're really good at it," she said. She placed a hand on one of Neville's shoulder and rested her head on the other. "Please? I'd be really grateful."

I looked over to Ginny. Was this new Slytherin girl really hitting on Neville? Ginny winked at me.

Neville sighed. "Fine."

"Thank you! You're my hero," Bree said. "I'll just head on upstairs."

Bree skipped away and headed upstairs. I looked over to Neville.

"You said you'd talked to her before. You didn't say that you were tutoring her or that you were allowing her to shamelessly flirt with you," I said. "How long has this been going on?"

"Pretty much since she got here. I had a project to do with her in DADA and she came here to work with me on it and she saw Neville and all of a sudden she's just going on to him about how _terrible_ she is at herbology," Ginny said.

"Which is all bollocks," Neville said as he got up from the table.

"If she's not crap then why are you tutoring her?" I asked. Neville laughed and walked upstairs. "Have I missed something?"

"I can't believe you still actually he's tutoring her," Ginny said sitting down on Harry's lap. "That's like saying every time you went to see Draco you were actually studying."

"Well recently I've been telling the truth about it," I said pulling my hair back into a pony tail.

"I'm pretty sure that has more to do with the fact that you're five months pregnant and not because you've suddenly decided to start behaving," Ron said.

"Minor details," I said. "Besides, it's good I'm helping Draco to study now since he was failing and all. I thought Lupin might lose his marbles when I told him I was pregnant and that Draco had turned into an idiot. I'm sure Harry probably approves of that as well, yeah?"

"Pretty sure he didn't hear a word you just said," Ron said leering at Harry.

I glanced over and saw that Harry was definitely not paying attention and that he was currently making out with Ginny.

I rolled my eyes.

At that moment Hermione and Draco ran into the common at lightning speed, knocing over several students as they came crashing through.

"What in the bloody hell is going on?" Ron asked.

"If Snape asks you haven't seen us since class!" Hermione shouted as she and Draco dashed upstairs.

Ron and I exchanged glances.

"I think. . . I'm supposed to get involved, being a teacher and all but. . . I'm just too confused," I said.

"Yep," Ron said.

Then Snape marched in and he looked angry. He had on no shoes, his robes were singed and his hair was even more disheveled and greasy looking than usual. He was red in the face as he stomped over to us.

"Oh, my god! What happened?" I asked.

"Malfoy. . . Granger. . . Fire. . ." was all he was able to muster out. If he were any more tightly wound his jaw might snap off.

"I haven't seen them but if I do I'll be sure to send them your way," I said.

Snape hissed and walked out of the common room.

"Now I get involved," I said. "Come on, Ron."

"Why do I have to go?" he asked as I dragged him from the table.

"Because, Hermione's your girlfriend _and_ you're a prefect," I said.

888

"There's no such thing as accidental arson," I explained to Hermione and Draco.

"You weren't there. You don't know," Hermione said defensively.

I took a deep breath. "You were supposed to be studying for your DADA exam."

"We were. And we were practicing," Draco said.

"_But,_ then Draco said the spell and fire came out and we laughed cause it was funny and then we tried it again and, whoops, the classroom was set ablaze," Hermione said.

"It wasn't until later that we remembered we could also put the fire out with water just as easily as we started it," Draco said.

"What is the rule?" I asked.

"What rule?" Hermione asked.

"Rule number one. The rule McGonagall taught us way back when in first year about certain spells?" I asked.

"Enlighten me," Draco said.

"If it makes you giggle for more than three seconds you are not allowed to use it," I said.

Draco and Hermione exchanged glances and laughed before rolling their eyes at me.

I sighed. "You realize that I have to give you detention right, and like, take house points?" I asked.

Hermione and Draco gasped.

"You can't give us detention," Hermione said.

"Yeah, we _love_ you," Draco said.

"But you're prefects and good students. . . Well, at least Hermione is. The other students in the school look up to you and try to follow you example. You're not Fred and George. The example you set isn't supposed to be setting a classroom and nearly a teacher on fire," I said. "And if I let you slide it makes me look bad."

"How?" Draco asked.

"Because she's your girlfriend and her best friend. She'd definitely be playing favorites," Ron chimed in.

"Besides, it'll look good for both of you if you follow the rules and accept your punishments just like other students do," I said.

"And how many house points do you plan on taking from us?" Draco asked.

"Twenty each," I said.

Hermione and Draco groaned.

"And you'll have detention tomorrow night after the Quidditch match," I said.

"Doing what?" Hermione asked.

I shrugged. "Doing lines I guess."

"Oh, how fun," Draco groaned.

"You're lucky you don't get worse. Accidental arson after all," I said. "Snape would probably expel you."

Draco sighed. "Alright." He turned to Hermione. "Well all of my DADA notes were destroyed in the fire."

I face palmed myself. Words never before uttered in Hogwarts.

"You can use mine, it's fine," Hermione said. "Oh, but I lent them to Ron."

"I let Harry use them actually," Ron said.

Hermione groaned. "Why are you lending my notes out to other people?"

"I figured Harry was your best friend and you wouldn't mind," Ron said. "He's probably just in the common room."

"Actually they're probably in Ginny's room by now," I said.

""Why would they be in Ginny's room?" Ron asked.

"Because Neville's in your room with Bree and the other students get annoyed when they make out in the common room. Duh," I said.

Ron looked horrified for a moment and then ran out of the room.

Hermione sighed. "Come on, before he humiliates them."

"I'm really glad Ron isn't your brother," Draco said as we followed him down the hall.

"I don't know, maybe if Harry's cockblocking skills were as good as Ron's you wouldn't be knocked up," Hermione said.

"That was clever but still very hurtful," I said.

Ron got to Ginny's door where Hermione grabbed him.

"Please don't do this," Hermione said. "You are so good at upsetting Ginny and embarrassing Harry. Just don't do it to them today."

"But he could be in there doing _things_ to her," Ron said.

"Nothing she'd lament him doing I suspect," I said.

Hermione and Draco both shot me a dirty look for encouraging him.

Ron pushed the door open and walked inside. Inside was what we all (except maybe Ron) expected to see. Harry and Ginny both innocently making on her bed. Both of them were fully dressed and at an angle that you couldn't even begin to describe as horizontal.

Of course what Ron probably saw was probably horrifying.

"What are you doing to my sister?" Ron shouted.

"I'm not doing anything!" Harry shouted back.

"Not since you walked in the room anyway," Ginny said.

"WHAT?" Ron shouted.

This lead into them arguing back and forth about how Harry wasn't going to shag Ginny even if Ron hadn't walked into the room. Ginny, always looking for an opportunity to torture both Ron and Harry, made crude innuendos when appropriate.

"What were you looking for me for anyway?" Harry asked knowing that no matter how hard he tried to explain himself there'd be no talking sense into Ron.

"Oh!" Ron said, suddenly remembering why we brought Harry up in the first place, "Draco needed Hermione's notes from class that I let you borrow. His got destroyed in the fire."

"The fire?" Ginny asked.

"It's a long story but both me and Draco have detention with Hannah on Saturday," Hermione said proudly. "Also we owe Snape a new pair of shoes."


	64. Ruined

_[A/N: And so it ends. Three or Five more chapters until the series is over. To quote Samuel L. Jackson in Jurassic Park, "Hold onto your butts".]_

"Is Draco alright?" Hermione asked me.

It was the last week of school, people were busy taking their exams. Ginny was running around like a crazy person as she was in the middle of her OWLs and people were gearing up for the summer holidays. We were in my bedroom studying (well they were studying, I was grading papers) for exams. There were exactly two days of school left.

"I talked to McGonagall and she said he did really well on his transfiguration exam. I told him but he was completely out of it," she said.

"That's to be expected," I said. "He's anxious. Whatever Voldemort told him to do he was supposed to have done it by now and he hasn't."

"Do you think he will?" Ron asked.

I shrugged. Draco wasn't the only one who was anxious about what was happening. Decision time was here and he hadn't made a decision. He hadn't yet just made the right decision. He hadn't chosen me over Voldemort yet.

"Hard to say. While he has turned into the ideal responsible and reliable boyfriend he is still a death eater and for whatever reason he just can't tell Dumbledore what's going on," I said. "And let's not forget that Draco is not the world's greatest thinker."

"It'll work out in the end. Things always do," Harry said.

I shrugged. "Sometimes when things work out, people like Cedric Diggory die and sometimes people like Tonks and Sirius are put into St. Mungo's. Things don't always work out all hunky-dory, Harry."

"But I'm sure he won't do anything stupid," Harry said.

I scoffed. "Draco is the king of stupid."

"But he's not going to get anyone killed," Harry said.

I rolled my eyes. "Haven't you worked out what he's up to yet?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were silent. That was a yes.

"But Draco. . . He would never actually. . ." Hermione shook her head. "No way. He's not a murderer. He's not. He would never do anything like that."

"We thought he was capable of it once before, back in second year," I pointed out.

"But it's different. _He's_ different," Hermione said quietly. "He's our friend."

"Hermione, think about it from where Draco is. Yes, you're his friend, yes he loves me, but he loves his parents just as well. Voldemort told him that he had to kill someone or else his parents would be killed instead. And he doesn't think he can trust Dumbledore because he's Voldemort's biggest anti," I said. "Now what would you do to save your parents? Would you kill someone Hermione, if it meant keeping your parents safe?"

"Come on, Hannah. That's not fair," Ron said.

"No it's not. . . But that's a real life scenario for Draco and it isn't fair. He just needs to learn to trust me or else everything is going to fall apart," I said.

Just then my trap door opened. Kassia stood there, Pansy in tow.

"Hannah!" she shouted.

"What's up? And why have you brought Parkinson?" I asked.

"It's Draco," Kassia said.

"Yes. Hopefully _you _can talk some sense into that moron," Pansy said.

I glanced over at the others who were probably thinking the same thing that I was.

I followed Pansy and Kassia down to the Slytherin dorms and to Draco's room. Everything seemed to be normal and fine but the atmosphere inside of his room was heavy and unpleasant. It made my skin crawl. I had just walked into something horrible.

Draco was sitting on his bed doing what looked liked studying. When he saw me he immediately looked to Kassia and Pansy like he could kill them. Clearly, I was the last person he wanted to see at the moment.

Draco looked back down to his textbook.

"I think you ought to go, Hannah," he said.

"Why?" I asked. "Kassia and Pansy said you're being a moron and Hermione said you've been acting oddly. Want to tell me why?"

Draco looked to Kassia and Pansy again. "Get out you two."

Annoyed, the girl's left the room. I walked over to Draco.

"What's happening?" I asked sitting down on the bed with him.

"It's happening. I've finished what I was supposed to do and now all I have to do is. . . Follow through," he said.

"Don't be an idiot," I said.

"What else do you want me to do Hannah? D-day is here. I've run out of time. Tomorrow night it's done or my parents are dead. End of story," Draco said.

"That is _not_ the end of the story, Draco Malfoy," I said. "You said you'd find a way out? What happened to a way out?"

"It didn't work out," Draco said.

"Bullshit it didn't work out! You didn't try!" I said getting to my feet. "I can't believe you're actually going through with this! And you weren't going to tell me were you? You were just going to do it and then disappear weren't you?"

"What was I supposed to tell you?" he asked.

"The truth! How about you try telling me the truth for once. How about you try owning up to all the crap you've caused this year and try not acting like a coward," I said.

"A coward?" Draco asked.

"Yes, Draco. You're an idiot _and_ a coward. You have a way out and you don't trust me enough to take it," I said.

"If only you knew Hannah you'd understand _why_ I can't take it but you don't understand," he said.

"Then tell me! Make me understand!" I said.

"I can't!" he said.

"Ugh! Fuck this, Draco! I can't do it anymore," I said. "I can _not_ do this anymore. You're making me crazy and I'm trying to help you but you're not letting me."

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"You know what I'm saying," I said. "This. Us. It's over. I don't want anything to do with you anymore if this is the decision you're making."

"Well it's not like it matters anyway. After tomorrow you would've ended it anyway," he said.

I don't know what came over me. But before I knew what I was doing my hand was connecting with the side of his face.

"Go to hell," I told him and then I stormed out.

I found it outstanding that I wasn't crying. Usually when I was this angry I'd definitely be crying. Perhaps it was possible that I was so infuriated that I couldn't cry right now.

I stormed out of the Slytherin common and kept walking. My brain was telling me that I was going to go back upstairs and scream and yell while Harry, Ron and Hermione tried to calm me down but instead I found myself standing outside of Snape's office and knocking on his door.

He opened it a moment later and stared at me confusedly.

"Potter? What is it?" he asked.

"It's Draco," I started. "I need your help."

Snape let me inside and closed the door.

"Help with what?" he asked.

"I know I'm not supposed to know but I can't help but know," I said. "I know that you're playing both side of field. That you're, like, a double agent for Dumbledore and Voldemort. And I know that at the moment you're keeping an eye on Draco and that you know what he's up to."

"And?" Snape asked.

"Tomorrow. Whatever he's planning he's doing it tomorrow," I said. "You can't let him. You have to convince him not to do it. He trusts you and for some reason doesn't trust anyone else. Not even me. So don't let him hurt anyone."

"And why, Potter, do you think you're incapable of helping him yourself? Isn't that what Dumbledore asked _you_ to do?" Snape asked.

"I failed, apparently," I said. "So please. . . Don't fail too. . ."

"Whatever Mister Malfoy is up to, whatever thinks he is planning to do, he won't," Snape said. "He's not a _complete_ imbecile."

"And if he is?" I asked.

"He will not carry out what he's been asked to do," Snape said.

I felt relieved. I was worrying, but I should've known that things were under control.

"Thanks, Snape," I said. "I could always count on you."

888

I was desensitized. That was the only way to explain it. I'd already wasted so much time and energy on Draco—crying over our failing relationship, building the walls up in case the end did come, that I had actually managed to keep myself from losing it like I did when we broke up the first time. Of course, the situation was exceedingly more complicated than the last time.

It was one thing to break up with him for being a tool, for being mean to my friends, but it was another to break up with him for deciding he was going to become a murderer. Now wasn't really the time for me to be depressed about it. I had to actually save Draco before he hurt someone.

I got dressed and headed out of the dorm to see Dumbledore. Before I could even get down the hall, I ran into a few familiar and unexpected faces.

"Tonks, Lupin, Sirius? What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"Dumbledore called us in very early this morning," Tonks said. "Something about 'Draco is up to something' or whatever."

"Oh, yeah," I said. Now they were staring at me. I knew what they were waiting for—me to tell them that Draco and I were broken up because he was, as Sirius had suspected, a legit death eater. Instead of giving them the satisfaction of saying "I was wrong" I said, "So you heard about all that then."

Sirius sighed that annoyed sigh he had. "Hannah, what happened?"

I shrugged. "What do you think happened? Exactly what you expected to happen happened. So that's all there is to it. It's over. We're over."

"And?" Lupin asked.

"And what? That's the end of the story," I said.

"No way that's the end of it, Hannah. Aren't you even going to try to stop him?" Tonks asked.

"I've been trying all year. It's someone else's turn," I said. "Besides, Dumbledore and Snape and all of you guys wouldn't actually let him hurt anyone would you?"

"Of course not," Lupin said.

"Good. Then I wash my hands of him," I said.

"You can't wash your hands of him. You're having baby with him," Sirius said.

"No. With or without him, I'm having a baby. Whether he decides to go off and be an idiot or whether he gets some common sense back that is what is happening. It only makes the situation worse because it means not only do I know that Draco is an idiot I decided to be an idiot with him and I have to deal with the consequences by myself. But guess what, I can deal with that," I said. "But I can't deal with him. If he wants to go off and be a death eater and be evil and ruin his life further then by all means let him go and do it and have a great fucking time doing it. I however will not be a part of it any longer. I have tried to change his mind and tried to get him to tell the truth but it's like talking to a brick wall. I have reached my breaking point. I should've broken up with him when he attacked Harry, or, even better, I should've known it was a bad idea to get involved with him again _knowing _what he was. So, basically, it's all my fault I'm in the situation I'm in anyway."

"Calm down," Tonks said. "Take a deep breath and calm down."

"I was calm until you three started egging me on," I said.

"Sorry about that," Lupin said.

"Look, no I'm not going to sit back and watch while Draco goes off and tries to do whatever he's planning. Knowing Draco I'm not going to have much of a choice," I said.

"Then what is up with you?" Sirius asked.

"He'd doesn't trust me. That's why this all happened," I said. "I trusted him more than I ought to and he couldn't even do something as simple as telling the truth for me. And I'm beyond angry about it. I just. . . Whatever mess Draco is going to make tonight I'm going to have to clean it up unless he comes clean. . . Which he won't, so. . . When the truth finally does come out and he sees I was right we, Draco and I, will be completely ruined."

"And where are you headed now?" Tonks asked.

"To see Dumbledore. I'm obviously a little bit neurotic today-."

"You have been neurotic since the day I met you," Lupin said.

I scoffed. "I'm just going to talk to him about everything. Maybe he has a solution."

"What do you mean everything?" Sirius asked. "You don't know what he's up to do you?"

"Not entirely, no," I said. "I told you he wouldn't talk to me about it."

"But you know something we don't, don't you?" Tonks asked.

"I always know something you don't or something you know that you don't know that I know," I said.

"Where's Harry? He's much less confusing to talk to," Sirius said.

"I'll see you guys later. Okay? And if you run into Draco don't give a hard time. I'm sure he's miserable enough as it is. He's already got Voldemort breathing down his neck. I'm sure you three won't help his situation," I said.


	65. Eavesdropper

It was nearly nine o'clock, and time for Harry and I to meet with Dumbledore. When I'd talked to him early today he said he wanted to speak with the two of us tonight.

"So do you think he's found one?" Harry asked.

"Probably considering his letter was so full of promise," I said.

We had to detour down through the fifth floor, not wishing to get pelted by pieces of chalk by Peeves who was in rare form this evening.

As we walked down the corridor we heard a crash and someone let out a scream.

Harry and I went to investigate and found Professor Trelawney lying on the ground a sherry bottle at her side.

We went and helped her to her feet.

"Are you alright, Professor?" I asked.

"Yes," she said fixing her disgruntled state.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Well I was just walking down the hall after seeing this very disturbing prediction. . ."

I stopped paying attention and then noticed where I was.

"Were you trying to get into the room of Requirement?" Harry asked. He'd caught on as well.

"What?" she asked.

"The Room of Requirement. You were trying to get inside weren't you?" I asked.

"Oh. . . I didn't know any student knew about it," Trelawney said.

"Only a few do," I said. "Why were you trying to get inside anyway?"

"Well I was trying to put away a few 'personal items'," she said.

"Alright," I said glancing over at the sherry bottle.

"But someone was inside," she said.

Harry and I exchanged glances.

"Who? Who was it?" Harry asked.

"I haven't the faintest," she said. "I opened the door and heard someone inside which has never ever happened before."

"What were they saying?" I asked.

"I couldn't tell. It was more like yelling," she said.

_*Yelling. . . What could he have been yelling about?*_

_-Maybe about you and the end of it all.-_

"They sounded quite frustrated with whoever they were going at," she added. "So then I say 'who's there' and then everything went black and I was tossed out."

"Well you should probably tell Dumbledore someone threw you out of the room," I said.

Trelawney scoffed. "Professor Dumbledore requests that I visit him less frequently. . . He refuses to see the cards as they are laid out over and over again." She pulled a card from underneath her shawl and shook her head. "The lightening struck tower. . . Disaster creeping ever closer. . ."

_*Only in your world, Trelawney.*_

"Okay then," Harry said. "I think you should still tell him."

"We've got a meeting with him right now. You could come with us," I said.

"Oh. . . Well in that case," she said. She put the sherry bottles in an empty vase in the hallway and we started to the 7th floor. "It was wonderful having the two of you in my class once upon a time."

"I bet it was," I mumbled.

"You were terrible seers but such wonderful objects," she said.

_*Well I got tired of you predicting that terrible things would happen to me.*_

"You know that centaur he seems to find me comical. Probably thinks I didn't inherit my great-great grandmother's abilities," she went on. "Would Dumbledore really hire me if he didn't think I was competent?"

_*Apparently she's missed Dumbledore's spree of incompetent teachers.*_

_-The man's brilliant but he's really got no eye for good teachers, to be honest.-_

"I remember when he first interviewed me. I was staying in the Hogshead –I wouldn't recommend it. They've got bed bugs something terrible—but I was flat broke. Dumbledore came to do my interview there. He seemed to be rather impressed with me. At first I didn't think he really liked Divination but he went for it," Trelawney said.

I knew this story. During her interview with Dumbledore she'd revealed the prophecy that had basically ruined my life.

"And the oddest thing happened. Snape showed up," she said.

Harry and I both stopped dead in our tracks.

"What?" I asked.

"Yes. Professor Snape showed up. There was some kind of hullaballoo out in the hallway and the door opened. The barman was standing there with Snape who was going on about going up the stairs the wrong way but I'm sure he was trying to get some tips so he'd do well on his interview with Dumbledore so. . ."

_*Trelawney predicted this almost 17 years ago. 17 years ago Snape was a deatheater. If Snape heard the Prophecy 17 years ago he would've told Voldemort straight away... That means that. . . Snape and Peter would've been responsible for setting Voldemort on my parents and me and Harry!*_

It was Snape. . .

I thought that after last year Dumbledore would've been past keeping secrets from us.

"Children. . . Are you alright?" Trelawney asked.

". . . Um, Professor stay here," Harry instructed her.

"But I thought that-?"

"Just stay here," I said.

Harry and started off to Dumbledore's office again and went inside so perfectly angry and confused I could hardly see straight.

Dumbledore stood by the window looking over the grounds. They were almost completely dark by now.

"Well, I've found it," he said.

Harry and I both paused, slightly confused.

"Found it?" I asked.

"Surely you haven't forgotten. That would be sad," he said.

We'd completely forgotten the reason we'd come in the first place.

"You've found one then?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore nodded.

"I believe that I have," he said.

Harry and I were both silent still.

"It's okay if you're scared you know," he said.

"I'm not scared," Harry said. "What Horcrux is it? Where is it?"

"I'm not sure which it is only that it's not his snake," Dumbledore said. "Do you remember the cave where the orphanage took them on their annual trips? I believe I've found it."

"How's it protected?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said. "I promised that you could come with me but I must warn you that it will be extremely dangerous."

"I'll be fine," Harry said.

Dumbledore walked over to us.

"What's wrong?" he asked us.

"Nothing," Harry lied.

"Why are you so upset?" he asked.

"We're not upset," I said.

"Neither of you are very good Occlumens-."

"Snape!" Harry shouted. "It was Snape. . . He told Voldemort about the prophecy. He was listening outside the door. Trelawney's just told us."

Dumbledore didn't seem to react, as he often did, and stared at us blankly for a moment. And finally asked, "When did you hear this?"

"Just now," I said.

"And you let him teach here!" Harry said. He was going off the deep end now. "He sold our parents out! He sent Voldemort after us!"

"Harry, Hannah, listen. . . Professor Snape made a mistake."

"But. . . He was listening at the door," I said.

"Let me finish," he said. "Because he was still working Voldemort he didn't hesitate to repeat the Prophecy back to him. He had no way of knowing who Voldemort was going to go after or that he knew the parents of the children. Telling the Prophecy to Voldemort is the one thing Professor Snape regrets more than anything else in his life."

"Snape is a great actor and a great Occlumens though isn't he? I mean, he's got Voldemort convinced that he's working for him. . . How can you really be sure he's on our side?" Harry asked.

The room was completely silent at that moment. Dumbledore didn't speak, Harry didn't speak.

". . . I trust Snape," I said.

They both turned to me.

"Hannah-."

"Harry, I've known Snape since before I could speak and even though he's always been a little strange and a little mean, aside from first year, he's never given me a reason to not trust him," I said. "And he's saved our skins loads of times. Who told the Order you'd gone to the ministry last year? Who came after us in third year when he thought Sirius had finally caught up with us? I mean, geez Harry, he jumped in front a werewolf to save our lives."

"But-."

"I know he's been acting suspiciously this year with Draco and this new information has totally thrown you for a loop but. . . I trust him. I think he's no more evil than Draco is," I said. ". . . I'm just thoroughly offended that you didn't tell me. . ."

". . . They're still up to something," he said. "Whatever Draco's been planning he's going through with it tonight. And you're leaving the school. Did you even think about the fact that he might do something when you're gone?"

"Harry," Dumbledore said. "Not once have I left this school unprotected when I was absent. As always there will be additional protection around the school. Do not think for one second I would be foolish enough to disregard the safety of the students in this school."

"I didn't think that. I just-."

"I'm going to end the conversation here," Dumbledore said. "Do you still wish to come with me tonight, Harry?"

"Oh, yeah, of course," he said. "What's Hannah going to do?"

"I will discuss that with her momentarily. But you, Harry, I have one condition for you to follow that I will allow you to come with me," Dumbledore said. You must listen do everything I tell you. If I tell you to run or to go back or hide you must do it. Do you understand?" Harry nodded. "If I tell you to leave and save yourself will you do it?"

Harry was silent before agreeing to this last condition.

"Excellent. Go grab your invisibility cloak and meet me in the entrance hall in five minutes," Dumbledore said. "Hannah, I'd like to speak to you for one more moment."

I nodded Harry off and he headed off to the common room.

"And what do you want me to do? Sit in the corner?" I asked.

"If I told you to, you wouldn't listen," he said. I rolled my eyes. "I want you to stay in this room. You are not to leave."

I scoffed. "Stay put and stay out of trouble? You and Harry are going to be gone and Draco's up to something. I'm not going to just stay in here."

Dumbledore placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure you realize how difficult things are going to be hard for you from now on."

"What has that got to do with anything?" I asked.

"From now on starts tonight, Hannah. Draco is going to go off and try to do something that could hurt himself, someone else, and ultimately you. Things could get out of hand tonight but I don't think you're prepared for the worst," Dumbledore said.

"Should I be?" I asked.

"Always," he said. "You are going to be the reason Draco does or does not go through with his plans tonight. I'd wager that this whole evening he's going to be thinking of you."

"And deciding on whether or not what he's doing is worth it or not," I said.

"I'm not psychic but if I had to guess I'd say that what he's doing isn't worth it," Dumbledore said.

"I bet right now you're thinking that Draco wasn't really worth my time aren't you? That you wish I'd found someone better to accidentally get me pregnant," I said.

"Hannah, I've been alive a very long time and in all those years I reckon I have not yet met someone I feel would ever be worthy of you. You are much too special for any single person out here," Dumbledore said. "Fortunately for you, I don't get to choose who you fall in love with."

"Otherwise I'd be alone forever," I said. He nodded and then gave me a hug.

"Do not leave this room unless you have a very good reason," Dumbledore said.

I sighed. "I suppose."


	66. Draco and the HalfBlood Prince

Dumbledore and Harry had barely been gone an hour when the noise started. It was the sound of battle. Spells and hexes being tossed back and forth. Every muscle in my body was anxious to go downstairs and help put a stop to whatever was happening but I remembered what Dumbledore had asked me to do. I couldn't leave unless I had a good reason.

Then I heard voices in the hall coming up the stairs.

I quickly sprang from my seat and crawled under Dumbledore's desk.

The door swung open and people entered.

"Doesn't look like he's here," a voice I didn't recognize said. "Let's go."

"No," another voice said. I recognized this one. It was Kevin Fitzpatrick's. "Someone's in here. They're hiding. I can smell them."

_*Damn those werewolves and their keen sense of smell.*_

"Come on out sweetheart. I don't bite," Kevin said. "I can smell you. . . I'm going to find you. . ." I listened as he stepped out in front of the desk. "I know you're under here. Come out. . . Maybe we won't kill you."

I crawled out from under the desk and stood.

"Hello, Fitzpatrick," I said.

He laughed. "Well if it isn't little Hannah Potter. It looks like the Malfoy boy really did knock you up. How's that working out for you?"

"Not so well being that he's a death eater and all," I replied. "Why are you looking for Dumbledore?"

"Oh, I don't really think that concerns you," the woman Kevin had come in with said.

"How'd you get in?" I asked.

"Your boyfriend, uh, opened the door for us," he said. "Now, how about you stop asking questions and just hand over your wand. The Dark Lord says we can't hurt you but I'm not about to let you make me."

"Sorry, but I can't do that," I said.

"Then what are you going to do? You don't think you're clever enough to get past the both of us do you?" he asked.

"You know, I may not be as clever with a wand as the two of you but I'm certainly clever enough to get past the two of you," I said.

"And how do you plan to manage that?" Kevin asked.

"Like this," I said.

I quickly turned and ducked into my bedroom. I quickly shifted the entrance to the bathroom and left the door open. They weren't going to get in here.

_*I think this qualifies as a good reason to leave, Professor.*_

I opened my trap door and climbed down the stairs to the main hallway. For the moment it was deserted and quiet but I knew that wouldn't last. I didn't know where I should go. The common room? Snape's office?

My feet were carrying me down the hall but I didn't know where. That's when I stopped and looked out the window towards the astronomy tower. Above it, the Dark Mark was forming. My heart stopped. They only put that up when someone had been killed.

I knew immediately where I had to go.

I ran as fast I could to the astronomy tower and ran up the stairs. I pushed the door and saw Dumbledore and Harry were there. Dumbledore didn't look so good. He was pale and Harry was holding him up under the invisibility cloak.

"What happened?" I asked rushing over.

"I'll tell you later," Harry said. "He needs help."

"Hannah, go and fetch Severus. Talk to no one else," Dumbledore said.

I didn't have time to question him so I started to the door but I heard someone heading up the stairs. I backed away and Dumbledore motioned me back into the corner out of sight as the door swung open.

"Expelliarmus!"

Dumbledore's wand was flicked from his hand and then I saw who had done it.

Draco. Suddenly everything made perfect sense. The poisoned mead had been a gift for Dumbledore. Katie had been cursed to take the necklace to Dumbledore. Draco couldn't tell Dumbledore what he was up to because he'd been assigned to kill Dumbledore.

My head was spinning. I could throw up. This wasn't happening. Draco was going to try to kill Dumbledore.

"Hello, Draco!" Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"Who else is here?" Draco asked him.

"I should ask you that, or are you on this little venture on your own?" Dumbledore asked.

"No there are death eaters in the school," Draco said.

"I see. And I'm sure your friends Pansy, Kristen, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle are assisting you as well," Dumbledore said.

"How. . . How did you know about them?" Draco asked. "How did you know about me?"

"I told him," I said crawling out from my hiding spot even though I knew Dumbledore wouldn't want me to. I couldn't sit back and watch this happen.

"Hannah?" Draco asked.

"Yes, she told me," Dumbledore said, almost laughing. "The very same day you told her. You see, she was worried about you and felt I might be able to help you. Which I could do obviously."

Draco was at a loss for words. He stared at me, unable to speak, trying to find the right words.

"You know, no one ever really approved of you relationship with Hannah, but we figured as long as the two of you were happy no harm done. Even after you managed to successfully bring her life as a teenager to a screeching halt, you both were somewhat inspiring. Your love and devotion to each other, it's like something out of a fairy tale. However, what your relationship was lacking was trust," Dumbledore said.

Draco still couldn't speak. He just stared at Dumbledore, his wand still extended outward.

"Hannah obviously trusted you. What other reason would she have for getting involved with a boy she knows is a death eater? Yes, Draco, you had the trust issues. All she asked you to do was tell the truth, which I already knew. Why do you think she was always so certain that I'd take your side? But, here we are. You've disarmed me, you're standing there with your wand about to kill me. So go, get it over with," Dumbledore said.

Draco didn't move, not to blink, not to lower his wand, he just stood there.

Tears were spilling out of my eyes quietly. This was the most horrible situation I'd ever had the displeasure of looking at in my entire life.

"Or we can wait until your companions get here too. That's fine," Dumbledore said. "While we wait, how about you tell us how you got the others into the school?"

". . . The vanishing cabinet. . . I've been fixing it," Draco said.

"Ah, they're a pair then I see," Dumbledore said.

"The other one is at Borgin and Burkes. You come in one and out the other," Draco said.

"Brilliant. That's absolutely brilliant," Dumbledore said. "But obviously you weren't sure you could fix it in time so you made some pretty foolish attempts to kill me before with the necklace and the mead. Instead you nearly killed Katie Bell and Ron Weasley."

"That wasn't supposed to happen," Draco said.

"Of course not. Especially not your friend Mister Weasley," Dumbledore said.

"He-."

"Listen, Draco, we can discuss why it's wrong to be in denial some other time. What we're going to discuss right now are your options," Dumbledore said.

"My options? I don't have any options left! Don't you get it?" Draco said.

"Draco if you were going to kill me you would've done it already. You're not a killer," Dumbledore said. "You've wasted three minutes of both our pretending that you are."

"You don't know what I'm capable of," Draco said.

"Draco, my boy, you can't even kill anyone on accident," Dumbledore said.

"I haven't got any options!" Draco shouted. "He'll kill me! He'll kill my parents!"

"I know, Draco. I understand. But you've got to understand something. . . You haven't hurt anyone. You are perfectly innocent. . . I can help you."

"No you can't! I haven't got a choice," he said. "He'll kill me if I don't."

"Not if you're already dead. . . You do have a choice. Come to our side, Draco. We can hide you. No one would be surprised that you died tried to kill me. Voldemort probably sees it coming. We could have members of the Order go to your mother tonight and hide her as well. No one would be surprised that we captured and killed her and Voldemort would've had it done anyway. . . You can stop this all right now," Dumbledore said.

Draco didn't say anything. He didn't move.

"Draco, please," I finally chimed back in. He looked over to me. "This isn't who you are. I know it isn't. You don't have to do this. . . You're not a killer. . . You're breaking my heart."

And he flinched. His arm fell slightly. He was going to put his wand down.

Just as he turned toward me though, the door burst open and four death eaters burst in, nearly knocking Draco over.

"Ha! You've cornered him! Fantastic!" a pudgy little death eater said. He glanced over to me and laughed. "And you've brought the girlfriend to watch you do it! Oh, your aunt Bellatrix would be proud of you."

"Hello, Amycus," Dumbledore said to him. "And I see you've brought Alecto as well."

"Do you think now is the appropriate time to be making jokes?" the woman, Alecto, sneered.

"Jokes? I was merely being polite," Dumbledore said.

"Just do it, Draco," the man standing nearest to us said. The man smelled awful – like dirt, sweat and blood. His robes fit him too tightly, his hair was messy and gray and dirty. His dirty hand were almost like claws and he had long, yellow finger nails. I remembered him. Fenrir Greyback.

"Fenrir Greyback, is that you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course. Happy to see me?" Greyback answered and blood dripped down his lips.

"Can't say that I am," Dumbledore said. "It seems you've taken to attacking victims when you're not transformed. Your taste for human flash can't be satisfied once a month then?"

Greyback merely smirked at this.

"I'm surprised Draco invited you into the school with all his friends here," Dumbledore said.

"I didn't," Draco said giving Greyback a dirty look. "I don't know what he's doing here."

"I couldn't pass up an opportunity to see all these healthy children. . . Delicious, children," Greyback said.

Draco cringed as he turned back to Dumbledore.

"So get on with it, Malfoy," the fourth death eater said.

Draco stood there, his wand trembling in his hands.

"You're not scared are you, Draco?" Amycus asked.

"No. Of course not," Draco said.

"Then what's taking you so long?" Alecto asked.

Draco said nothing, but continued to aim his wand at Dumbledore.

"Listen, if you're not going to do it then step aside and let us," Alecto went on.

But just then the door opened and in came Snape, followed closely by Kassia who seemed to be completely confused at what was going on.

Kassia glanced around and then saw Dumbledore.

"Professor-!"

Snape shushed her.

"Ah, good, Severus there you are," Greyback said. "It looks like Malfoy's got cold feet."

Snape pushed the other death eaters out of the way, and moved Draco away as well.

"Severus. . ." Dumbledore began as he stared up at Snape.

Snape stepped up to Dumbledore, his wand fixed on him.

"They're got the door blocked off!" someone from below shouted. The Order was still fighting.

". . . Severus. . . Please," Dumbledore said.

He was begging. . . Dumbledore was begging.

Then Snape's face contorted with hatred and anger and then it happened.

_"Avada Kedavra!"_ Snape shouted.

A jet of green light exploded from his wand.

Kassia let out a scream of horror.

Dumbledore body's was shot into the air and hovered for moment and then fell over the side of the tower and out of sight.

Snape turned swiftly and grabbed Draco and Kassia and pulled them out of the tower. The rest of the death eaters followed.

I sat kneeling on the ground. I could believe what I'd just seen. It was unreal. Dumbledore was dead. Snape killed Dumbledore. Nothing about any of this was right.

"Hannah, get up." I felt Harry tugging me to my feet dragging me back into the horrible reality.

"Harry. . . He. . ." I couldn't even voice it. It just couldn't be true.

Then the overwhelming urge to grab Snape and rip him to pieces with my bare hands over took me and I ran.

Harry followed closely behind me as we bounded down the stairs. We ran down through the corridor and then I stepped in something squishy and I slipped.

I was dazed for a moment and then I realized I'd fallen in a pool of blood, next to two bodies.

I didn't have time to see who it was. Harry helped me to my feet and we continued our pursuit.

As we started on our way we saw Ginny who was having hex after hex thrown at her by Amycus, just barely dodging them.

"_Impedimentia_!" Harry shouted.

The spell hit Amycus and he flew against the farthest wall.

"Harry, Hannah! When did-"

Harry and I zoomed past her and kept on our way.

As we were running Harry tripped and fell down. I stopped myself from falling and looked down to see Neville lying there.

"Oh, Neville, are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm. . . I'm okay," he said. "I saw. . . Snape and Draco and Kassia. . . They went past."

"Okay," Harry said.

Then a hex flew past my head.

I looked up to see a gigantic blonde wizard hurling hexes around.

_"Stupefy!"_ I shouted. It him in the face he fell backwards onto the ground.

Harry and I continued our pursuit.

We headed downstairs to the Entrance Hall and ran outside into the cool night air.

As we ran across the ground we could see Hagrid fighting death eaters out of his hut, trying to keep them from escaping.

Just then a spell hit me in the back and I fell forward onto the ground. As I hit the ground blood began to drip from my nose. Harry stopped and knelt beside me

_"Impedimentia!"_ Harry shouted at Amycus and Alecto who'd caught up with us.

He then helped me to my feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah. Let's keep going," I said. I pointed. "I can see them just there."

Harry and I continued to run across the grounds.

Snape stopped, shoving an apparently unconscious Kassia into Draco's arms.

"Run!" Snape instructed him.

"Draco!" I called out to him. He stared for a moment. It was decision time.

"NOW!" Snape shouted again.

Draco looked back at me and I could see his decision in his eyes. They were saying "I'm sorry." He took hold of Kassia and ran off away from me.

Harry and I finally reached Snape. We stared each other down.

"How could you?" I asked. "I looked up to you all these years! I trusted you!"

"Well you were wrong to then," he said.

"And what about Kassia. . . And Sabrina? They'll never be able to forgive you for what you've done," I said.

". . . I regret nothing," he hissed.

It was like someone had stabbed a knife in my chest again.

"Sectum-!"

"NO!" Snape said deflecting it. "You try to use my own spell against me? That's right Potter I am the Half-Blood Prince!"

Snape shot a spell at Harry and knocked him to the ground. For a moment he didn't move and I knelt down beside him

"Harry! Harry! Answer me!" I said.

"I'm fine," he groaned. He reached up to his face where the was a large gash going across his cheek and he was bleeding profusely.

I looked up to see that Snape had made off again. He reached the boundaries of the school and taking hold of Draco and Kassia, he apparated away.

I dropped my head down on to Harry's shoulder and started to cry. I felt him wrap his arms around me, trying to calm me down. It wasn't working.

"I. . . I. . . Hannah, I," Harry started but ultimately fumbled his words.

Hagrid bounded over towards us.

"Are you two alright?" he asked.

"Yes," I managed out, still crying, trying to wipe my tears away.

"What bloody hell happened Harry? I just saw all those deatheaters coming into the grounds and then I see Snape with them," Hagrid explained.

"Hagrid he killed. . ." Harry began.

"Snape? Snape killed who?" Hagrid asked, as if it were the most ridiculous Harry had ever said to him.

"He killed Dumbledore," I said.

"What?" Hagrid asked.

"Snape. . . Killed. . . Dumbledore," Harry repeated.

"No. . . Snape wouldn't. . . He couldn't," Hagrid said.

"He did. . . We saw it," I said, tears streaming from my eyes again.

"No. . . That couldn't have been what you saw," Hagrid insisted.

I couldn't blame him for being in such severe denial. I didn't want to believe that it was true myself.

We walked to the school and as we got closer there was a mass of black lying on the ground at the foot of the astronomy tower and a crowd was gathering around it.

I knew exactly what it was, Dumbledore's body.

We made our way through the crowd and over to his body. The truth slowly sank in. He was dead. He would never be able to help me or take care of me or tell me everything was going to be okay or tell me just how irresponsible I was. . .

Harry tapped my shoulder and pointed to the ground. He reached down and picked up a locket. For a moment it looked like the locket I had seen once before in the pensieve. It must've been the horcrux.

But then we realized that is wasn't the locket from the pensieve. This one was smaller. There was no S marked upon it. Harry opened the locket and inside there was a piece of paper where there should've been a photograph.

Harry unrolled it and we read it:

_To the Dark Lord_

_I know I will be dead long before you read this_

_but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret._

_I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can._

_I face death in the hope that when you meet your match,_

_you will be mortal once more._

_R.A.B_

Harry crumpled the paper up and buried his face in it as he began to cry. The Horcrux was a fake!

I cried into Harry's shoulder. How absolutely horrible this all was.

"Come here you guys," a voice said.

"No," Harry said.

"You can't stay here," the voice said.

A hand reached out and grabbed Harry's and pulled him up.

"Get up, Hannah," the voice said.

Slowly I got to my feet and saw Ginny standing there. She took my hand and pulled us away.


	67. In Mourning

"We're going to the hospital wing," Ginny said.

"We're not hurt," Harry said.

"It's McGonagall's orders. Everyone is in there," she said.

Then I remembered the two bodies in the hallway.

"Ginny who else is dead?" I asked.

"No one," she said.

"But the Dark Mark—we saw those two bodies in the hallway," I explained.

"It was Bill. He was attacked by Greyback. He's a bit of a mess right now. . . Madame Pomfrey said he's going to look different from now on. We don't what the long term affects will be. . ." she explained. "Neville, Emily, and Flitwick are hurt but they'll be fine. A death eater is dead. He got hit by one of those killing curses that blonde goliath was tossing around. . . If you hadn't given us that Felix Felicis, Harry, I think we all may've very well been killed. . . Everything _just_ missed us."

"I'm glad you're okay," I said.

"I'm glad you are. We were worried about you. After Harry and Dumbledore left we didn't know where you'd gotten to. We thought they might've taken you or something," Ginny said.

We reached the hospital wing where everyone seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief at seeing us.

"Thanks goodness you three are alright. You've had us all worried," Tonks said.

"Sorry," I said.

As I walked in, I passed Emily, Neville, and Flitwick, all unconscious on a bed.

The rest of them were on the other side of the room gathered around what I could only assume was Bill's bed.

"Jesus, whose blood are you covered in?" Sirius asked.

"Bill's. I slipped in it when I was running down the hallway. How is he?" I asked when we reached them.

No one answered.

"Can't you like, fix them with a charm or something?" Harry asked.

"No. I've tried everything I can manage but there's no cure for werewolf bites," Madame Pomfrey asked.

"Bill won't. . ." Ron began weakly. He cleared his throat to speak more clearly. "He won't be like a real-."

"No," Lupin said. "I don't think Bill will be a true werewolf. That's not to say that there hasn't been some contamination. Those wounds may never heal completely and he may have some wolfish features from now on."

"Maybe Dumbledore knows something," Ron said as we reached them. "I mean it was on Dumbledore's orders that Bill was here in the first place he owes-."

"Ron! Shut up!" I said. Everyone, save for Harry and Ginny, looked at me taken aback by the outburst. The tears rushed back into my eyes and they wouldn't go away no matter how hard I blinked. ". . . Dumbledore is dead."

Everyone looked from me to Ginny to Harry hoping that one of us was going contradict the previous statement but it slowly sank in that I wasn't lying.

"But. . . But how?" Tonks asked, her voice cracking a bit.

The next words were even harder to choke out.

"I was hiding up in Dumbledore's office because he wanted me to stay out of the fight obviously, but then Kevin and that Alecto showed up and I ran through my old bedroom downstairs. That's when I saw the Dark Mark over the astronomy tower and I headed straight there," I said. "Dumbledore and Harry had just gotten back. Harry was hidden under the invisibility cloak and Dumbledore sent me to go find Snape, but we heard someone coming up the stairs so he sent me to hide. . . And. . .And then Dumbledore was disarmed. . . Draco came through the door."

Ron and Sirius groaned. Hermione gasped.

"But Draco's _not_ a killer. He's not. Dumbledore and I both told him to just stop and he was going to," I said. "But then those _stupid_ death eaters showed up and started egging him on."

"Draco was stuck. He couldn't kill Dumbledore but they probably would've killed him for being a traitor if he openly refused to do it," Harry said. "Then Snape came up with Kassia and. . . Since Draco couldn't do it. . . Snape used the killing curse and he. . . Snape killed Dumbledore."

The room was silent.

Madame Pomfrey burst into tears.

"Shush, listen," Ginny said.

The room went silent and all that could be heard was Fawkes singing.

We listened for what seemed an age until the hospital wing door opened and McGonagall walked in.

"Molly and Arthur are on their way," she said.

We all seemed to come out of a trance.

"Harry, Hannah, what happened? Hagrid said you were with Dumbledore when-."

"Snape killed him," Harry said.

". . . But. . . But Dumbledore always trusted Snape. . . I don't believe this," McGonagall said.

"But Snape a was a really good Occlumens. We all knew that," Sirius pointed out.

"I always just assumed maybe Dumbledore knew something about Snape that we didn't," Tonks said, wiping a stray tear from her face.

"Dumbledore used to say that he always had an ironclad reason for trusting Snape," McGonagall said.

"Wonder what Snape said to get him to believe that," Tonks said.

"I know," Harry said. "Snape gave Voldemort the information that made him hunt down our parents. Then he told Dumbledore that he didn't know what he doing and that he was sorry they were dead and that he regretted more than anything else in the world."

"And Dumbledore believed him?" Lupin asked incredulously. "He _hated_ James."

I shook my head. "It doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't make sense?" Sirius asked.

"Snape. It doesn't make sense. Nothing about tonight makes sense," I said. "Snape. . .He."

I started crying again.

"But, Hannah. Snape was a great actor. An occlumens. He's been working for Voldemort," Harry said.

"I'm sorry but, it doesn't feel right. I've known Snape my whole life and he's just been. . . I've never, not once suspected him to be someone who could kill in cold blood the way he did tonight," I said.

"What are you saying?" Lupin asked.

"That there has to be some other explanation for why Snape did what he did," I said.

The group let out a collective sigh.

Harry took my hand and pulled me aside.

"Look, I know this is hard for you, probably harder for you than the rest of us, but Snape was playing us. He was playing all of us," Harry said.

"Harry, you don't get it. That man helped raise me my whole life. He gave me my first potion's book when I was eight. When I was nine and had strep throat, I was overly paranoid about suffocating in my sleep and he sat up with me all night to keep me company," I said. "There are just things that he did and said that. . . You can't fake those things."

Harry nodded. "We'll figure it out, Hannah. Don't worry."

The doors to the hospital wing opened and walked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley walked in, Fred, George, and Fleur right behind them.

Fleur continued to walk up the rest of ward as the rest of their group stopped at Emily.

"She's fine. Just resting," Madame Pomfrey said. "Merely took a few stunning charms before she went down. She's a fighter."

Fred lingered a moment before he walked away to check on Bill.

"Oh my poor Bill!" Mrs. Weasley said going over to her son.

Tonks and Lupin both moved away to give her room to get to him.

"You told us Greyback attacked him?" Mr. Weasley asked.

McGonagall nodded.

"And is it true. . . About Dumbledore?" George asked.

"Yeah. . . That's true alright," Ginny said.

". . . And what about Malfoy?" Fred asked.

"He's a death eater and that's all I'm going to say about that," I said. Everyone seemed to get very quiet. "Sorry? Did that sound bitter? My bad. I've had kind of a rough night. But there are more important people to worry about at the moment." I motioned to Bill.

"Oh. . . He was such a handsome boy," Mrs. Weasley said. "It wasn't important how he looked, but oh, how all the girls loved him! Oh, and he was going to be married."

"Was?" Fleur asked, speaking up since the first time since they arrived. "What do you mean 'e was?"

"Well, I just-."

"You theenk 'e won't love me anymore because of these bites?" Fleur went on. "Because 'e will! It would take more zan a werewolf for Bill to stop loving me."

"No. I just thought-."

"You thought that I wouldn't want to marry him anymore or you hoped I wouldn't?" Fleur asked. "What do I care what 'e looks like? I'm beautiful enough for the both of us."

"My Great-Auntie Muriel has a tiara—it's goblin made—that I'm sure I could coax her into letting you wear for the wedding. She's very fond of Bill you know, and I'm sure it would look lovely in your hair," Mrs. Weasley said.

Fleur sniffled. "I would like that very much."

The next thing we all knew they were holding each other, crying. It was weird—really weird.

I couldn't do the weird anymore and I knew if I stayed in there any longer the conversation would drift back to Snape and Dumbledore and Draco. I wasn't in the mood for it.

Slowly, I inched out of the hospital wing and went to sit in the hallway, reclining back against the wall. I took a deep breath and stared out at the night sky. It was cloudless, filled with stars. It was beautiful and perfect, hardly a night fitting of murder and betrayal and heartbreak, but that's what it was. This beautiful night was going to be carved into my memory as being horrible.

"Hey, Goober."

I looked up and saw that Sirius had come out of the hospital wing. "Mind if I sit?" I shrugged. And he plopped down on the floor next to me.

"Rough night?" he asked.

"No. A rough night was the first time I saw you after you found out I was pregnant. A rough night was that night I got attacked by damn near one hundred dementors. _This_ is unequivocally the worst night of my entire life," I said.

"None of us can begin to imagine what you must be feeling right now being that you were so close with all of them," he said.

"I wish I could articulate it. Maybe then I'd be able to express it through means other than crying. I've done enough crying this year," I said. "This was supposed to be the best year of my life. I was supposed to just go and become this amazing teacher and start researching all kinds of potential cures for lycanthropy and maybe if I was lucky I'd actually have a boyfriend who wasn't shit, but from the very first day I started here things went wrong. Harry went missing, I met Marius, and of course there was Draco—the best and worst thing to ever happen to my life. And gradually as the year went on it just got worse and it all culminated in this evening. And the future's not looking too hot either."

"I'm sorry," Sirius said.

I shook my head. "Don't bother trying to console me. It's moot."

"Well then can I just tell you something so you're not surprised down the road," Sirius asked. I nodded. "You're going to forgive him."

"Who?" I asked.

"Draco. You're going to forgive him," Sirius said. "And I hope you do."

"Really?" I asked in surprise. "You want me to forgive Draco? Why, pray tell, would you like me to do that? You were right about him weren't you? All that stuff you said he was that he was going to be. . . He was."

"Hannah, once upon I was involved in a really bad situation and everyone hated me including this girl I was madly in love with," Sirius said. "Nearly 15 years passed before I saw that girl again and I don't know what I would've done if she hadn't forgiven me."

"But you didn't actually do anything wrong, Sirius. You were innocent," I said.

"And Draco isn't? I don't recall him hurting anyone. I think the only thing he's actually guilty of, is being afraid," Sirius said.

I shook my head. "I don't want to keep forgiving him for being a coward or being an idiot. I deserve more than that don't I? He always acts like he hasn't done anything wrong when he obviously has and I'm tired-."

"Hannah, I _guarantee_ you that he _knows_ he's done something wrong this time. And if he doesn't think he has then by all means don't forgive him," Sirius said. "Not everyone can be as brave as you are."


	68. So Long And Goodnight

_[A/N: Alas, kitties, this is the last one in this series. The next Series will be called "End of an Era". Each chapter title will title of/lyrics from a song so if you REALLY like a song and want me to title a chapter after it somewhere down the line just lemme know.]_

I woke up the next morning feeling like I was going to be sick. Memories of last night we flashing violently in my head and my sleep had been very disturbed. I felt like I had a hangover after a bad night.

Last night felt like some really horrible dream, but when I woke I knew it was all real.

I climbed out of bed and saw Parvati at her dresser packing all of her things into her.

"What are you doing?" I asked her. Then I noticed she was crying. "What's wrong?"

"My mum has come to pull me out of school. Loads of parents are here to take their kids away after last night," she said. "They feel like it isn't safe anymore."

"Can you blame them?" I asked.

"But I don't want to leave," Parvati said. "I tried to get her to let me and Padma stay until after Dumbledore's funeral but she wouldn't have it. She says we're not coming back next year either."

Parvati finished packing her things and wheeled her trunk over to me. She gave me a hug.

"I guess this might be the last time I ever see you," I said.

"Yeah. It sucks," Parvati chuckled. "If I'm not around I can't convince you to name your kid after me."

"Oh, Parvati, I was never going to do that anyway," I said. She laughed. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Try to stay out of trouble, alright?" she asked.

"Impossible," I said. She laughed again and let me go.

"See you around," she said. I nodded and she left.

My heart was heavy seeing her go as I got dressed. The dorm was already empty. I knew the other girls would still be here being that they were a part of the Order and wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to Dumbledore, and I knew Hermione wasn't going to go anywhere I wasn't until the war was over.

I headed down to the Great Hall and saw it was mostly deserted. Sitting at Gryffindor table were Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Kaitlin, Dean, Seamus, Neville and Emily. I sat down next to Seamus who immediately took me into a hug.

"How are you hanging in there?" he asked.

"Alright as I suppose is expected," I replied. "Thank you. . . So many of them are gone."

"Hogwarts isn't safe anymore. Parents want their children to be with them," Ginny said, her head resting on Harry's shoulder.

"Will they open the school again next year with things as bad as they are?" Dean asked.

"They haven't decided yet so only time will tell," Harry said.

"So. . . When is Dumbledore's funeral?" Hermione asked.

"Tomorrow morning," I said. "After that all the students, or what's left of them, are going home."

"I'm really glad you stayed Seamus," Hermione said. "His mother tried to drag him out of school early but-."

"I _insisted _that I wasn't leaving until after Dumbledore was buried," Seamus said.

"He insisted very loudly by the way," Emily said.

"That's really good of you," I said.

Everyone was silent and continued glance back and forth between each other and me.

I sighed. "Go on and ask me whatever it is you're thinking."

"Malfoy he. . . He was really a death eater?" Dean asked.

I nodded. "And now he's gone."

"What about your baby? What are you going to do now?" Seamus asked.

"Single teenage parenthood here I come I guess," I said. "What else can I do? I can't just abandon her because Draco abandoned me."

"Glad to hear it," Neville said.

"Draco's friends are gone too," Kaitlin pointed out. "I know Snape took Kassia but Kristen, Pansy and Blaise are gone as well."

"I'm glad they didn't rope Sabrina into their shenanigans," Ron said.

"She was Gryffindor. They couldn't trust her. They didn't trust Kassia because she was too close with us. God only knows what's going to happen to her now," Ginny said.

"Kassia's tough and she's got Snape's protection because he's the only one who's got pull with Voldemort," I said. "I think she'll be fine at least for a little while. Eventually Voldemort's going to get sick of her being loyal to Dumbledore and Snape won't even be able to help her."

"Yeah, I guess so," Harry said.

"Hannah, what's going to happen to you after tomorrow?" Ron asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Yeah, where are you going to live? You lived here with Dumbledore," Seamus said.

"Oh. . . I hadn't thought about that actually," I said. Who _was_ I supposed to stay with now that Dumbledore was dead. It wasn't like I was 17 and able to just crash where ever I wanted. Dumbledore's will would've decided what happened to me before if he died before I was 17.

"McGonagall told me she had to look over Dumbledore's will to be sure what would happen," Harry said, "but she said that he told her that should anything happen to you you'd have to come stay with me on Privet Drive with the Dursleys."

"Great. This day just keeps getting better and better," I said.

"You should eat something," Emily said passing a bowl of oatmeal my way.

"I'm not hungry," I said pushing it away.

Harry pushed it back in front of me. "Eat, Hannah."

888

I didn't expect to be walking to Dumbledore's funeral under these circumstances. Murdered by Snape because Draco couldn't do it—it sounded horrible and wrong and it was. It was surreal. I couldn't handle it.

Harry held my hand the whole way down to the spot by the Black Lake where he was going to be buried.

It was too sunny. The sky was too blue. There were too many birds singing. The day was too beautiful for a funeral. It was supposed to be cloudy and rainy and miserable. That's how I felt. The weather should've reflected my misery.

I sat in my seat, listening, but not absorbing a word anyone was saying. I could still hardly believe this was happening, that any of this was real.

Many words were said about Dumbledore. All of them true and stale and factual. Dumbledore would've hated it. This was the same man who often started dinner with "there is a time for speeches—but now is not that time." He hated when things were boring. I wouldn't have been surprised if he sat up out of his grave and said "You're doing it wrong!"

That certainly would tone down the boring.

"And now," the priest began taking me away from my inappropriate thoughts of Undead Dumbledore, "Dumbledore's eulogy will be given by a young, orphan girl to whom he spent the latter part of his extraordinary life caring for, Miss Hannah Potter."

I heaved a great sigh. I hated when people referred to me as an orphan. Sure, it was true, but it always made me feel like Dumbledore and I had a Little Orphan Annie/Daddy Worbucks kind of relationship and that made me extremely irritated given the similarities.

"Are you alright to do this?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, just do me a favor—if I start talking about the musical Annie or zombies, just start waving your arms frantically so I'll stop," I said.

". . . Okay. . ." Harry said.

I rose to my feet and walked up to the podium, not daring to look at Dumbledore lying in his casket for fear I would burst into tears again.

I looked down at everyone. I didn't know half of these people. If you lived to be 116 years old do you really meet so many people?

I wanted to say something really outrageous, like commenting on how much Dumbledore would've hated, but I knew better. I knew Dumbledore wasn't going to sit up and tell me how inappropriate that would be, but I knew what he would say. He'd just want me to tell the truth.

"You might think I had a very atypical childhood growing up under Dumbledore's watch. Many students have come and gone through the halls of Hogwarts and many of them called Hogwarts their home, but it was my home both figuratively and literally. Living inside of a school with a man as brilliant as Dumbledore I did pick up some strange habits, like wanting to make potions instead of play Quidditch and reading reference books at night before I fell asleep. I was a weird kid that way but, in the grand scheme of it all—while he wasn't busy being the BAMFest wizard ever-."

Tonks, Lupin and Sirius all shook their heads at me for my inappropriate use of the word "BAMF" during a eulogy.

"he made my life pretty normal, which I think was his goal. No one else was making it normal for me after all. Essentially I just grew up with the strange ability to perceive Dumbledore not only as this genius and a headmaster but someone could, and frequently did, ground me. But. . . I think you could have a thousand people come up here and talk about what their experience with Dumbledore was like and we'd still never be able to truly grasp the kind of person he was. No matter how well or how long you knew him there were always things about him—the way he spoke, the way he acted, you always just knew you weren't getting quite the whole story about him.

"People have been saying what a great person and wizard Dumbledore was. And all of it's true. He was a teacher, our headmaster, and a genius, but you can read all those things in any text book or even in _A Brief History of Magic_. Anyone could tell all those things but is that really how everyone here is going to remember him? When you leave here today remembering him are you going to say, 'that sure was keen that time he discovered all those uses for Dragon's blood'? I'm going to remember the time he bought this jar filled with jelly beans that fixed itself every time you dropped it simply because he thought it was amusing. I am going to remember how he always knew what was going on even when he wasn't there.

"I'm not the only one who's going to remember things like this. My classmates are going to remember that time they had to clean the whole of the entrance hall without magic because they helped to instigate a serious fight. They'll remember when he frightened people by jumping out from behind corners dressed as Flavor Flav. They'll remember the day that they came to the realization that the password to his office was always some sort of candy. They'll definitely remember the say when Dumbledore 'rip stuff in half' and 'break things in two.'

"Dumbledore raised me and taught me the facts of life and while I didn't always listen and got myself into trouble because of it, obviously, there was one thing he taught me about that I always listened to. Dumbledore believed in this more than anything else in the entire world. He believed that there's one thing that I've got, one thing that you've got inside too. . . There's one thing that we've got and that one thing we've got is enough to save us all. . . He believed that the weapon we have is love. And since I obviously didn't take his lecture about being responsible seriously that is the one thing that I'll take with me from him because. . . It saved my life and as long as I remember it. . . As long as I believe that. . . I'm sure it will again."

I finished and returned to my seat next to Harry.

"You did good," he said. I nodded.

Soon the funeral ended and everyone began to disperse.

"So that's it then?" Kaitlin asked. "This is the end?"

"Yep," I said. "We don't know what happens next."

Harry and Ginny got up from the seats and walked out of earshot of us.

"What are they up to?" Hermione asked wiping tears from her face.

"He's breaking up with her," I said.

"What? Why?" Ron asked.

"Because, she'll be safer that way," I said. "Voldemort uses people we care about to get to us. He's used Ginny before. . . If he finds out there's anything going on between them now he'd come after her for sure."

"But Ginny-."

"Ginny will understand," I said. "She knows Harry. She probably saw this coming. Ginny will be okay."

"And you?" Ron asked. "Will you be okay?"

I shrugged. "Not any time soon I think."

888

"So, I broke up with her," Harry said as we sat in the empty seats out on the lawn of the school.

"I expected you to," I said.

"So did she," Harry said. "She understands why though."

"She always does," I said.

"At least she didn't cry. Kristen and Cho cried," Harry said.

"That's the good thing about Ginny, I suppose," I said.

"Ah, Harry, Hannah." Scrimgeour again.

"Minister," Harry said.

"I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me," he said.

"Hell no," I said.

"I understand that today is probably a very difficult day for you but we have information that tells us you both were out of the castle the night the school was attacked. Where were you?" he asked.

"We've been told not to reveal that information to anyone," Harry said.

"But-."

"Dumbledore swore us to secrecy and we will not betray him, not even in death," I said.

Scrimgeour frowned at us. "You're still Dumbledore's kids."

"Yeah. Through and through," I said.

Harry and I got up and walked away. We went and sat by the tree at the Black Lake. Ron and Hermione came and sat down with us.

"Do you think that the school will be opening next year?" Hermione asked.

"It doesn't matter. We won't be coming back even if it does," I said. "We have to find the Horcruxes."

"Not to mention the fact that we have to save Kassia and. . . And even Draco," Harry said.

"Well when do we start?" Ron asked.

"You guys-."

"Alright, before you obviously start trying to convince us that we shouldn't help you just know that no matter what, we're going to," Hermione said

"We're in this together," Ron said. "Of course we'll have to leave after July."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Bill and Fleur are getting married," he reminded us.

"Oh, right," Harry said. "Your mum would kill me if I missed that."

Soon we would be going off to face Voldemort after finding his Horcruxes of course. But for now we didn't need to worry because we had each other and that was really all we needed.

THE END


End file.
